Let us take a look at the highlights of Vitality Blast 2021 matches that took place on 20 June.
Durham v Warwickshire, Chester-le-Street
Durham 185/4 in 20 overs (Bancroft 76*; Mousley 1-19) beat Worcestershire 163/8 in 20 overs (Rhodes 36; Carse 3-30) by 22 runs. Player of the Match: Cameron Bancroft.
Cameron Bancroft’s unbeaten 53-ball 76 and Ben Stokes’ 18-ball 29 on his return helped Durham to beat Worcestershire by 22 runs at the Chester-le-Street.
Stokes also returned 1-20 from four overs and took a well-judged catch of Carlos Brathwaite – a person whom he knows from the 2016 T20 World Cup final – to restrict Worcestershire to 163/8. Brydon Carse and Scott Borthwick claimed three and two wickets respectively.
Kent v Essex, Canterbury
Kent 236/3 in 20 overs (Bell-Drummond 88; Walter 1-21) beat Essex 169 in 19.2 overs (Wheater 46; Leaning 3-15) by 67 runs. Player of the Match: Jack Leaning.
Riding on Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 44-ball 88, Zak Crawley’s 39-ball 69, and Jack Leaning’s quickfire 17-ball 42 not out, Kent piled 236/3 – the second-highest total of the season.
In reply, Essex fell 67 runs short to the target before being bowled out for 169 in 19.2 overs. Adam Wheater top-scored with 46, while Leaning claimed three scalps in his two overs. With five wins in six games, Kent are sitting at the top of the South Group table.
Yorkshire v Derbyshire, Headingley
Yorkshire 174/6 in 20 overs (Root 49; Scrimshaw 3-30) beat Derbyshire 135 in 19 overs (Hudson-Prentice 34; Ferguson 3-21) by 39 runs. Player of the Match: Harry Brook.
Joe Root fell one short of fifty when he was caught at mid on. However, he did enough to help Yorkshire post 174/6. Harry Brook (48* off 34) and Jordan Thompson (21 off 13) played their part as well. George Scrimshaw was the pick of the Derbyshire bowlers with 3-30.
Dom Bess (3-21) and Lockie Ferguson (3-21) then wrapped Derbyshire up for 135 with an over to spare. Fynn Hudson-Prentice top-scored for Derbyshire with 34.
Northamptonshire v Leicestershire, Northampton
Leicestershire 200/2 in 20 overs (Inglis 103*; White 1-36) beat Northamptonshire 166/7 in 20 overs (Keogh 50*, Parkinson 2-19) by 34 runs. Player of the Match: Josh Inglis.
Josh Inglis’ unbeaten 62-ball 103 helped Leicestershire to get their first victory this season with a 34-run win over Northamptonshire.
Inglis and Arron Lilley (44 off 29) recovered Leicestershire after Scott Steel’s early departure before Colin Ackermann (31* of 22) joined Inglis. Ackermann and Inglis forged an unbroken 101-run stand for the third wicket to end the innings at 200/2.
Coming at the chase, Rob Keogh remained not out at 50 off 29 balls but did not get much support from the other end as they closed on 166/7. Gavin Griffiths, Callum Parkinson, and Naveen-ul-Haq all picked up two wickets each.
Lancashire v Nottinghamshire, Old Trafford
Nottinghamshire 172 in 20 overs (Moores 48; Lamb 3-23) tied with Lancashire 172/4 in 20 overs (Jennings 88; Patel 1-18). Player of the Match: Keaton Jennings.
Despite a 118-run opening stand between Keaton Jennings (88 in 61 balls) and Finn Allen (60 in 43), Lancashire could not get over the finishing line against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford.
Notts were bowled out for 172 after opted to bat. Tom Moores top-scored with 48 before Danny Lamb got him. Lamb returned 3-23 and Tom Hartley 2-25.
Lancashire rested Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone against Notts. They needed eight runs off Luke Fletcher’s final two balls. Jennings hit a six from the fifth but was run out after attempting a second to Steve Mullaney. They ended at 172/4.
Gloucestershire v Hampshire, Bristol
No play was possible between Gloucestershire and Hampshire in Bristol due to persistent rain.