Warwickshire rewarded with Essex quarter-final

After a dramatic final round of the NatWest T20 Blast, the draw for the quarter-finals featured six sides never to have won the competition. Only Surrey, last year's runners-up, and Hampshire, victorious in 2010 and 2012, have previously claimed T20 silverware in England.

From the North Division, where holders Northamptonshire finished seventh, Lancashire and Nottinghamshire secured home ties, the latter after chasing down a target of 201 to eliminate Yorkshire.

Lancashire has already topped the table and will play Glamorgan, fourth in the South Division, on Friday; Nottinghamshire host Hampshire on Sunday August 3.

Despite losing their last three games, Essex held on to first place in the South Division, as Surrey were also beaten. Warwickshire, who benefited from Yorkshire's defeat to sneak into the last eight, will travel to Chelmsford and Worcestershire, the only county never to have made Finals Day, visit The Oval, with both games next Saturday.

The revamped Blast this season has seen most games take place on Friday nights but the tournament reverts to a more traditional format for the knockout stages. The winners of next weekend's ties will contest Finals Day at Edgbaston on August 23.