Luke Wells leads record-breaking Lancashire to Vitality Blast win
Luke Wells produced a record-breaking performance in the Vitality Blast as Lancashire crushed Derbyshire by 80 runs.
Opener Wells hit eight sixes in his 44-ball 83 – the most ever by a Lancashire player in Twenty20.
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He helped his side to 243 for seven, which is the county's highest score in this format of the game. Matty Hurst added 59 from 29 balls .
Chris Green then took three for 16 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 163 in response despite Caleb Jewell's 65.
Northamptonshire lost ground at the top of the North Group after going down to a 24-run defeat to Nottinghamshire.
Tom Moore's 53 off 27 balls helped the visitors to 164 for eight before Matthew Montgomery took three for 22 to help bowl Northampton out for 140.
Sam Hain's unbeaten 38 helped Birmingham Bears to a last-over one-wicket win over Worcestershire.
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Chasing 135 to win, Hain's 30-ball innings guided the hosts to victory with three balls to spare.
Durham made light work of Yorkshire, winning by 63 runs after posting 193 for four. Graham Clark hit 53, James Neesham 42 not out and Alex Lees 40.
Somerset continued their good form at the top of the South Group as they beat Glamorgan by six wickets.
Chasing 131 after Riley Meredith took four for 21, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (38) and Sean Dickson (23no) saw them home with six wickets and 20 balls to spare.
Second-placed Surrey hammered Middlesex by 75 runs.
Will Jacks led the way with 97 off 56 balls in Surrey's 194 for eight before Mitchell Santner took three for 25, Jacks fittingly picking up the final wicket as Middlesex were dismissed for 119.
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Tawanda Muyeye scored a maiden T20 century to help Kent beat Essex by 47 runs.
The opener hit seven sixes and six fours on his way to 100 from 59 balls as Kent posted 219 for three.
Dean Elgar (50) and Simon Harmer (55 off 21 balls) hit half-centuries in response for Essex but they were bowled out for 172.
Gloucestershire beat Hampshire in style, with David Payne's six off the last ball of the match sealing a two-wicket win.
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