Sean Abbott equals Blast record with stunning century for Surrey
Australian all-rounder Sean Abbott broke the fastest century in T20 Blast history as Surrey claimed a 41-run win over Kent at the Oval.
The 31-year-old, who previously had a career best of 41, hit 11 sixes when he reached his hundred with just 34 balls – matching the mark of the late Andrew Symonds for Kent in 2004.
It is the fourth fastest century on record in T20 cricket, just four balls slower than the record set by West India star Chris Gayle in the Indian Premier League in 2013.
Abbott helped bail the hosts out with 94 for five by dominating an uninterrupted stand in the sixth wicket with Jordan Clark (29 balls from 17).
From the 17th, Abbott scored 30 points, throwing international teammate Kane Richardson and finishing the game on 110, not from 41 balls, while Surrey hit a mammoth goal of 223 for five.
But despite an opening 108-of-59 partnership between Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye, the total proved too much as a series of wickets dashed their hopes of victory.
Adam Finch hit three sixes in the final over to give Worcestershire a dramatic two-wicket win over Yorkshire at New Road.
The 22-year-old faced a tough test of going 19 runs from the final over, but Matthew Fisher’s first ball was hit to the maximum before Finch completed the game later in the over with back-to-back sixes.
The home side faced defeat as Fisher took his team to 145 for seven points in the 18th round, but won all but one of the remaining 31 runs to secure victory while Yorkshire are still hoping for their first win.
Graham Clark scored his first T20 Century as Durham clinched a dominant 10-wicket win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
Durham came out on top, ball in hand, with Nathan Sowter being the standout, taking his first five-wicket win by numbers five to 15, while the hosts were limited to 137 overall.
The Durham onslaught with the racquet started immediately as they hit 77 on the opening power play and Clark then shot to 102 with just 49 balls as the hosts met their goal with 6.4 overs to go.
Birmingham continued their victorious start to the competition with a five-wicket win over Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
Leicestershire’s miserable start to the season continued after they hobbled to 166 for seven and a Bears side – which included Australia’s Glenn Maxwell for the first time – reached the target with 15 balls remaining, with Maxwell scoring 47 from 27.
Joe Clarke hit 68 from 29 balls and Matt Montgomery scored half a century as Nottinghamshire started their blast campaign with a four-wicket win over Derbyshire.
Half-centuries through Wayne Madsen (61) and Luis Reece (53) put Derbyshire in good position as they hoped for their first win at Trent Bridge in 10 years, but the home side fought back well, limiting them to 178 for six and six came home easily with 18 balls remaining with the racquet.
James Vince went unbeaten 88 balls from 55 as defending champions Hampshire held a convincing eight-wicket win over Middlesex.
Pieter Malan’s 80 from 45 balls helped Middlesex to a total of 171, but in response Vince broke 5,000 T20 runs during his stroke and equaled an opening 91 with Ben McDermott, heading to victory with 13 balls remaining .
Timm Van Der Gugten and Ruaidhri Smith helped Glamorgan to an exciting two-wicket victory over Severnside rivals Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire carried the visitors to victory on 162 points and they looked to be on the right track with Colin Ingram’s and Kiran Carlson’s 69 in the third wicket.
But the hosts fought back and Dutch international Van der Gugten managed to hit a six in the last half and win the game with five balls to go.
