Vitality Blast 2023: North Group heats up as Essex miss chance to move clear in race for quarter final spot

The Vitality Blast 2023 group stage now heads into the final matchday, with quarter final places still up for grabs, showing the competitive aspect of the Blast. 

The weather put paid to what was set to be a potentially pivotal Roses clash between Lancashire and Yorkshire. 

Indeed, it was the second successive no result for Yorkshire which in turn ruled them out of the running for an appearance at Blast Finals Day 2023.

Who has qualified and who can still qualify for Vitality Blast 2023 quarter finals?

T20 Blast North Group qualification scenarios

Birmingham Bears continued their fine form to seal their place atop the North Group and a home quarter final at Edgbaston. They are five points ahead of local rivals Worcestershire, who missed the chance to confirm a quarter final place after a rain-affected tie against Durham. 

That tie could well prove costly for Worcestershire, as they travel to play Derbyshire in what is effectively an eliminator match. Worcestershire can secure a home quarter final with a win, should Lancashire fail to beat Northants, but could also get dumped out altogether should Derbyshire win. 

Derbyshire will qualify for the quarter finals if they beat Worcestershire in front of their own fans, but that could spell danger to local rivals Nottinghamshire. Having been one of the favourites to top the group just a few matchdays ago, Notts still need to win their final group game to be assured of a place in the quarter finals and not have to rely on results going their way.

Fortunately for them, though, they are playing host to the North Group's basement side Leicestershire. The Foxes are rock bottom, seven points adrift of Durham in eighth, but could put a spanner in the works of their East Midlands counterparts.

Northants will be hoping for somewhat of a miracle in that match, as they will need Notts to lose to have a chance of qualification. They will travel to Manchester to play Lancashire needing a win to have the opportunity to progress.

Lancashire, despite being second, will still need to win guarantee their place in the quarter finals. They will likely pick up the second home quarter final slot with a win, but will need to try and ensure it is an emphatic one. 

T20 Blast South Group qualification scenarios

Essex failed to take advantage of what seemed like a golden opportunity to pick up a vital two points against 2023 South Group whipping boys Middlesex. Despite racking up 225-6, thanks in large part to Daniel Sams' sensational unbeaten 69 from 34 balls, Middlesex produced another stunning chase to get home with two wickets and two balls to spare.

After that setback, it means Essex will need to travel to Surrey and beat the side in second place who are in turn competing for the second home quarter final slot. Kent would have been happy with the Middlesex heroics after they slipped up themselves following their own run of solid form. 

In fact, in the last five matches each have played, Kent have won four and lost one, while Essex have now lost four on the bounce to leave their T20 Blast hanging in the balance. Kent will need to beat table-toppers Somerset at Taunton to be all but sure of a quarter final place. A Surrey win should see them through regardless, save for an almighty hammering.

2022 winners Hampshire host Gloucestershire and will be confident of picking up the two points they need to stand a chance of sneaking a home quarter final. Surrey's net run rate is far superior, though, so it is largely out of Hampshire's hands. A defeat against the West Country side and an Essex win could see the defending champions out altogether, though that also will require a Kent victory.

Match-by-match reviews of Vitality Blast 2023 penultimate matchday

Match 110 - Worcestershire vs Durham 

Worcestershire Rapids are left facing a decisive last-game encounter at Derby after their Vitality Blast qualification hopes were halted by a tied match against Durham at New Road. The Rapids were chasing Durham's imposing total of 216 for 4, their fifth-highest in Blast history. 

Embed from Getty Images

However, bad light forced the umpires to take the players off the field with the Rapids at 112 for 3 from 11 overs. As the sky remained overcast, the match ended with both teams earning a point. Despite their tall target, Durham's quest for their first t20 victory at New Road in eight attempts was denied.

Match 111 - Nottinghamshire vs Birmingham Bears

Birmingham Bears secured a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast with a hard-fought two-wicket win over Notts Outlaws at a damp Trent Bridge. Despite losing four wickets to Shaheen Shah Afridi in the opening over of their chase for 169, the Bears managed to recover. 

Embed from Getty Images

Opener Rob Yates played a composed innings of 65, supported by Jacob Bethell and Jake Lintott, to guide the team to victory with five balls remaining. 

Earlier, Tom Moores' 73 powered the Outlaws to 168, but the Bears' Hasan Ali and Lintott's bowling efforts restricted their opponents. Notts Outlaws must win their final game against Leicestershire Foxes to qualify for the knock-out stages.

Match 112 - Surrey vs Somerset

Tom Banton shone on a gloomy night at a sold-out Kia Oval as Somerset, the leaders of the South Group, defeated Surrey by 18 runs. Banton's exceptional knock of 84 propelled Somerset to 208-5 after being asked to bat first. Their bowlers, led by Matt Henry's impressive 4-30 and Ish Sodhi's debut performance of 3-33, defended the total well. 

Embed from Getty Images

Despite Will Jacks' fifty and Sam Curran's aggressive 47, Surrey could only manage 190-9. Somerset had already secured a home tie in the quarter-finals, while Surrey must win their final game against Essex to have a chance of finishing as runners-up.

Match 113 - Kent vs Sussex

Ravi Bopara's brilliant century led the Sussex Sharks to an 11-run victory over the Kent Spitfires in a rain-affected Vitality Blast match at Canterbury. Bopara played a flawless innings, scoring 108 off 53 balls with 18 boundaries and one six, helping Sussex set a massive target of 229. 

Kent's chase was interrupted by rain, and they were given a revised target of 129 from 10 overs. However, they lost wickets regularly and could only reach 117-4, falling short of the target. Despite the loss, Kent remain in the top four and still have a chance to qualify for the next stage.

Match 114 - Hampshire vs Glamorgan

Ben McDermott's explosive knock propelled Hampshire Hawks closer to a quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast. The Australian batsman hammered 54 runs off just 27 deliveries, his fourth half-century of the season. Hampshire amassed a commanding 97 for 2 in 9.2 overs before rain halted play. When the match resumed, Glamorgan faced a revised target of 83 runs in six overs. 

Embed from Getty Images

Despite Colin Ingram's quickfire 34, the Hawks' disciplined bowling, led by John Turner's exceptional two-run over, restricted Glamorgan to 54-1, securing a 21-run victory for Hampshire. The win levelled their points with Surrey, fuelling hopes for a home knockout tie and quashing Glamorgan's quarter-final aspirations.

Match 115 - Lancashire vs Yorkshire

Disappointingly, a fascinating Roses encounter did not see a singular ball bowled as the Manchester weather saw Yorkshire's hopes of qualification fail to materialise. Lancashire would have liked the chance to secure two points and a buffer, but they still remain in second place and on course for the quarter finals.

Match 116 - Essex vs Middlesex

Ryan Higgins played a pivotal role in Middlesex's dramatic victory over Essex, further denting Essex's chances of qualifying for the knockout stage in the Vitality Blast. Higgins smashed a blistering 61 runs off just 24 balls, including three sixes and eight fours. 

Despite Matt Critchley's impressive bowling figures of 5 for 28, Middlesex successfully chased down Essex's target of 226 runs with two balls to spare, securing their second win of the season. Essex now face a must-win match against Surrey to keep their hopes alive for a place in the quarter-finals. 

Daniel Sams' explosive knock powered Essex to a competitive total, but Middlesex's determined batting led them to a thrilling victory.

Match 117 - Derbyshire vs Leicestershire

Tom Wood's explosive century powered Derbyshire Falcons to a resounding 71-run victory over Leicestershire Foxes in the Vitality Blast. Wood's unbeaten knock of 110 off just 57 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes, guided the Falcons to their highest-ever t20 total of 231-4. 

Harry Came also contributed with a quickfire 56, and late cameos from Leus du Plooy and Haider Ali further compounded the Foxes' misery. In response, Leicestershire fell short at 160-9, despite Peter Handscomb's 61. 

Zaman Khan's impressive bowling figures of 3-27 played a crucial role in Derbyshire's comprehensive win. The victory keeps Derbyshire's hopes alive as they aim to secure a quarter-finals spot by defeating Worcestershire in their final game.

Match 118 - Sussex vs Gloucestershire

Sussex Sharks' Vitality Blast hopes were dashed as they suffered a disappointing five-wicket defeat against Gloucestershire at Hove. Posting a total of 160-9, Sussex struggled to set a challenging target. Gloucestershire, already out of contention for the quarter-finals, comfortably chased down the runs with 19 balls to spare. 

Ben Charlesworth's 34 helped Gloucestershire become the first team to qualify for the knockouts, while Sussex will rue their lacklustre campaign, managing just one win out of seven home games. With Surrey, Hampshire, Essex and Kent battling for the remaining quarter-final spots, Gloucestershire can still influence the race when they face Hampshire in their final match.