Hales blasts Notts to last eight

A hard-hitting innings of 62 from Alex Hales helped Nottinghamshire to both a six-wicket victory over Yorkshire at Trent Bridge and a confirmed place in this year's Friends Life t20 quarter-finals.

Hales scored his runs from just 38 deliveries faced - including four fours and five sixes - as his side raced to their target after Yorkshire, who had opted to bat first, had posted 132 for seven.

The early stages of the contest were dominated by Samit Patel, who finished with 3 for 17. Standing at second slip, Patel dropped Adam Lyth from the first ball of the match, as the left-hander flashed hard at Harry Gurney.

The allrounder would quickly made amends. His first delivery at the start of the second over clean-bowled Alex Lees, who was making his Twenty20 debut for the county. Patel then removed Dan Hodgson and took a well-judged catch in the deep to send back Gary Ballance off Graeme White's bowling.

Lyth played on to Jake Ball for 23 and Ballance made 30 but, once they had fallen, only Rich Pyrah took the fight to the Nottinghamshire. Pyrah scored 42 from just 25 balls, hitting six fours and one towering six from the bowling of Ian Butler.

A mix-up then saw Jack Leaning run out for just four and another debutant, Will Rhodes, was bowled by Gurney for 13.

Nottinghamshire lost both Michael Lumb and Patel early in their reply but Hales was in imperious form, hitting Iain Wardlaw for two sixes in the fifth over, after Lyth had also disappeared high over the ropes.

David Hussey continued to rotate the strike allowing the England international to play his shots. After bringing up his 50 from just 34 deliveries Hales hit back-to-back maximums off Azeem Rafiq before holing out to Ballance while looking for a third.

With the finishing line in sight, Hussey was bowled by Liam Plunkett for 28 but Riki Wessels and Chris Read saw Notts safely to victory with 23 balls to spare.

Nottinghamshire head the North Group on run-rate from Lancashire, who they meet at Trent Bridge on Sunday to determine which side will have home advantage in the quarter-finals.