Kent Spitfires edged a South Group nail-biter with Somerset to book their Vitality Blast quarter-final spot with a five-run win at Canterbury.

The hosts matched their best-ever Twenty20 score of 231, for the loss of five wickets, in batting first.

Somerset grafted hard to chase down that total however – and so nearly pulled it off, but a near-perfect Mitch Claydon yorker with the last ball sealed Kent’s victory.

Skipper Sam Billings hit 57 from 35 deliveries for Kent, while Steven Davies posted 45 from 25 balls and James Hildreth 45 from 27 for the visitors.

David Willey and Adam Lyth’s 150-run partnership set Yorkshire Vikings en route to a seven-wicket win at Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

Willey (79) and Lyth (66) ensured Yorkshire are on course for the quarter-finals, as the visitors coasted to the victory with 27 balls to spare.

The winner of Yorkshire’s clash with Notts Outlaws at Headingley on Friday night will progress to the last eight, though a no-result could allow Birmingham Bears to sneak through instead.

Josh Cobb struck an unbeaten 68 for Northants as the hosts posted 162 for eight having won the toss, but it was a total their attack never looked like defending.

Dan Lawrence’s 86 helped Essex to just their second victory in this year’s tournament, over struggling Middlesex at Lord’s.

The 21-year-old’s 46-ball blitz helped Essex chase down Middlesex’s 210 for three, a record score for the hosts against the Chelmsford men in the format.

Paul Stirling’s 78 and Eoin Morgan’s 77 had Middlesex pleased with their batting efforts, only for Daniel Vettori’s side to slip to a seventh straight defeat.

Phil Salt’s 60 and 33 from Harry Finch propelled Sussex to a four-wicket win over Gloucestershire in Bristol.

Michael Klinger top-scored with 59 in the hosts’ disappointing 159 for nine after winning the toss.

Rashid Khan plundered three for 24 while Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan bagged a brace of wickets apiece as the visitors boosted their quarter-final chances.