Kent’s Alex Blake hit back-to-back sixes to secure a two-wicket win over Hampshire with one ball remaining in the Vitality Blast southern group game at Southampton.

The visitors needed 16 from the final over before Blake hit successive sixes, to finish the contest and end with an unbeaten 57 from 38 balls having come in with Kent 41 for four chasing 146.

Captain James Vince top-scored for Hampshire with 51 and was supported by former Kent player Sam Northeast, who added 35.

Fidel Edwards took three wickets in the first over of the match for Birmingham as they cruised to a seven-wicket win over Leicestershire at Edgbaston.

The West Indian bowler, on loan from Hampshire, struck immediately to leave the visitors at two for three from which they never fully recovered and reached just 115 for nine in their 20 overs, as Edwards finished with figures of four for 22.

In response, Birmingham knocked off the low total with more than five overs remaining for the loss of just three wickets, with Ashton Agar top-scoring with an unbeaten 41 from 28 balls.

Steven Croft and Glenn Maxwell hit half-centuries as Lancashire stormed to a 72-run victory over Durham in the northern group clash at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire elected to bat first and scored 189 for three, with Maxwell scoring 58 from 33 and Croft ending the innings on an unbeaten 65.

In reply, opener Scott Steel scored 58 but none of the other batsmen managed above 12 as Danny Lamb and Richard Gleeson were the pick of the bowlers with two wickets each.