Mitchell Santner show sees Worcestershire hold off Derbyshire for knockout spot

Mitchell Santner delivered a top all-round performance as Worcestershire Rapids beat Derbyshire Falcons by 28 runs at Derby to book a place in the Vitality Blast quarter-finals.

The New Zealander hammered 64 including five sixes off 46 balls as the Rapids raced to 222 for 5 with Adam Hose smashing an unbeaten 42 from 21 balls. Wayne Madsen scored 63 from 32 balls but the Falcons were bowled out for 194 with Pat Brown taking 3 for 35, Usama Mir 3 for 38 while Santner claimed 1 for 28 from his four overs.

The result means the Falcons miss out on a place in the last eight while the Rapids finish third in the North Group.

Brett D'Oliveira's decision to bat was vindicated and he set the tone by driving Alex Thomson over long-on for six. Jack Haynes matched him by pulling Zak Chappell over wide long-on as 15 came from the second over but the fast bowler responded in his next over when D'Oliveira sliced him to cover.

The Rapids reached 70 for 1 at the end of the powerplay after 17 came from George Scrimshaw's second over with Haynes and Santner both picking up boundaries.

Mattie McKiernan stemmed the flow with two tight overs but the Rapids reached the halfway stage handily placed on 94 for 1.

The Falcons spinners were keeping the Rapids in check but when Scrimshaw returned, Santner cut him over point for six and drove him square for another four.

The stand was worth 72 off 55 balls when Zaman Khan bowled Haynes with a swinging yorker and conceded only three from the 13th over. But Santner tore into McKiernan in the 15th, smashing the legspinner for four consecutive sixes as 29 came from the over.

Chappell returned to york Santner as he made room to drive and Scrimshaw had Kashif Ali caught at deep midwicket before Khan pinned Ben Cox lbw with another full length ball. But Ed Pollock smashed a free hit for six and cleared the ropes at deep square before Adam Hose cut loose in the final over.

He pulled and ramped Chappell for three sixes and with 27 coming off the over, the Falcons had leaked 43 from the last two with Hose and Pollock plundering 43 from 11 balls.

It left the Falcons with a tough chase and Tom Wood went in the third over when he pulled Dillon Pennington to deep square leg. Haider Ali went in the fourth when a pull at Brown looped to mid-on but Harry Came gave the Falcons hope by pulling Pennington for six and four.

The Falcons were 57 for 2 after the powerplay and Came and Madsen kept them on track by adding 71 from 38 balls before Came was stumped off a wide from Mir.

Madsen hoisted Mir for a big six onto the top deck of the media centre but Leus du Plooy was well caught at long-off by Jake Libby when he tried to clear the ropes

But Madsen was still there and after reaching yet another 50 from 26 balls, he drove Adam Finch for his third six before Brooke Guest pulled the seamer over the ropes.

The Falcons were starting to believe but off the last ball of Finch's over, Madsen sliced a drive and was brilliantly caught by Brown running in off the cover boundary. Guest fell to Santner in the next over and as the asking rate climbed, the Falcons fell to earth with Brown striking twice in the final over to seal a memorable day for the Rapids.