Derby date in last eight after county are denied home tie
GLOUCESTERSHIRE face Worcestershire in the Vitality Blast quarter-final at New Road on Saturday after defeats to Hampshire and Sussex denied them a home last-eight tie.
At the Ageas Bowl, James Vince and Sam Northeast’s 66-run stand coupled with Chris Wood’s tight bowling saw Hampshire record just their second success in the competition.
Gloucestershire needed to beat Hampshire and hope Kent lost to Essex to play at Bristol again in the tournament.
But Vince and Northeast carefully teed up the six-wicket win, with Rilee Rossouw crashing 42 and Wood taking an incredible four for 16.
Hampshire had only managed a single victory in their opening 13 South Group matches but saved their best performance until last, and it started with Vince winning the toss and elected to bowl on a slow wicket under clear skies.
Miles Hammond departed when Wood picked up his first, then Northeast brilliantly grabbed a firm pull shot from Ian Cockbain at mid-wicket.
Benny Howell upped the ante with a quickfire 26 off 15 balls, but hoicked Liam Dawson to deep mid-wicket.
Kieran Noema-barnett was forced to retire hurt after appearing to pull a muscle in his right thigh before Jack Taylor was bowled.
Skipper Michael Klinger had kept the scoreboard ticking but eventually departed for 42 then Ryan Higgins smashed 31 from 16 deliveries to send the county up to a 144 – with Gareth Roderick, Andrew Tye and Higgins all departing to Wood - but Vince and Northeast made sure it was not enough.
Against Sussex at Bristol, Gloucestershire posted a disappointing 159 for nine, skipper Michael Klinger top-scoring with 59.
Spinner Rashid Khan claimed three for 24, while there were two wickets each for seamers Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan.
Sussex were given a great start by Phil Salt, who contributed 60 to a stand of 85 in nine overs with Harry Finch (33) and, despite two wickets with successive balls from both debutant spinner Jacob Lintott and Benny Howell, never looked in serious trouble.
They reached their target with an over to spare, David Wiese making 39.
Lintott, struck with the fifth and sixth balls of his debut when Laurie Evans fell to a catch by Klinger at extra cover for a single and Delray Rawlins was bowled.