Sussex and Essex miss out

Owais Shah on the attack ... Middlesex lost but still booked their place in the last eight © Getty Images

Sussex's three-wicket victory over Surrey at The Oval was not enough to gain them a place in the quarter-finals, although the loss was not a setback to the home side who had already qualified. Oval old boy Ian Ward laid the foundation for Sussex's win, his 50 ensuring that they overtook Surrey's 144 for 8 with three balls to spare.

At Richmond, Middlesex were well beaten by Hampshire but it was the losers who secured the division's other place in the last eight. Owais Shah, who has been in sparkling form throughout the group stages, got Middlesex off to a flier with 54 from 50 balls, but on a small ground their 174 for 7 was not really enough and largely thanks to Craig McMillan's 65, Hampshire wrapped up a six-wicket win with 16 balls in hand.

And Essex's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals were dashed when they slid to a five-run defeat by Kent, a side who had failed to win any of their previous seven matches. Only Michael Carberry's 59 enabled Kent to post a semi-respectable 154 for 4, but Amjad Khan (3 for 24) blew away Essex's top order and they never regained any momentum, despite Mark Pettini's gutsy 60.