Injury-hit Nottinghamshire confirmed their place in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after beating Leicestershire by four runs.
South African Wiaan Mulder’s career-best unbeaten 83 from 50 balls almost led the visitors to their target but two wickets each from Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Matt Carter and Calvin Harrison restricted them to 164 for eight.
Wicketkeeper Tom Moores top-scored for the second successive match for the Outlaws with 68 from 40 deliveries as the hosts set up an away tie with Somerset.
North Group winners Birmingham completed their campaign with a club-record seventh successive victory – and 11th in 14 matches – after beating Durham by eight runs at Edgbaston.
Although they were bowled out for 141 in the final over, with Rob Yates scoring 53, the moderate target proved beyond Durham as Henry Brookes claimed three for 15.
Lancashire also qualified with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Northamptonshire at Old Trafford which also ended the visitors’ qualification hopes.
Phil Salt hit a 51-ball 74 as the hosts chased down the Steelbacks’ 138 for seven with 20 balls to spare to set up a home tie against Surrey.
Mitchell Santner’s contribution with bat and ball helped book Worcestershire’s place in the quarters after hammering 64 in 46 balls in the visitors’ 222 for five.
He then claimed one for 28 in four overs as Derbyshire came up 28 runs shot despite Wayne Madsen making 63 from 32 balls in reply.
In the South Group defending champions Hampshire booked their place in the last eight thanks to a destructive performance from John Turner in an eight-wicket win over Gloucestershire.
The fast bowler took his Blast tally to 18 with three for 15 as Gloucestershire were restricted to 105.
James Vince’s eighth half-century of the season saw his side home with 33 balls to spare.
Feroze Khushi hit a six off the last ball as Essex snatched a last-gasp three-wicket win over Surrey.
Chasing 196 for victory, the visitors required eight from the final over but five singles put the pressure on Khusi (35 not out), who responded by hoisting the ball to long on where Chris Jordan could not prevent it dropping over the rope.
Bottom side Middlesex won just their third game of the campaign with a 49-run victory over Glamorgan as Ryan Higgins hit 71no off 36 balls to steer his side to a total of 200 and then claimed three for 20 runs, including two in two balls.
Glamorgan looked to be coasting to victory thanks to Kiran Carlson hitting the county’s fastest T20 half-century but when he was out for 77 off just 29 balls they lost all momentum.
West Indies in control despite Bangladesh avoiding follow-on in Antigua Test
The West Indies maintained firm control of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, ending the third day with a 181-run lead. Bangladesh, despite a spirited late resistance, reached stumps at 269 for 9, narrowly avoiding the follow-on after the hosts declared their first innings at 450 for 9.
Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales led the West Indies bowling effort, each taking key wickets as Bangladesh struggled for momentum on a slow surface. Jaker Ali (53) and Mominul Haque (50) provided the only half-centuries for the visitors, while Litton Das added 40. A seventh-wicket stand of 68 runs between Jaker and Taijul Islam pushed Bangladesh past the follow-on mark of 251 in the final hour of the day.
Starting the day on 40 for 2, Bangladesh batted cautiously, with Mominul Haque and Shahadat Hossain looking to rebuild. Shahadat’s 18 from 71 balls came to an end when he edged Kemar Roach to Kavem Hodge at first slip.
Mominul continued his resistance alongside Litton Das, guiding Bangladesh through to lunch. Litton, known for his fluent stroke play, curbed his natural instincts and focused on survival, though he managed a few boundaries off Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph.
After the break, Seales trapped Mominul lbw for 50, breaking a promising partnership. Litton Das followed soon after, dragging a Shamar Joseph delivery onto his stumps for 40 off 76 balls. Stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz also struggled against a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, eventually succumbing to an Alzarri Joseph bouncer caught at short-leg by Mikyle Louis.
Bangladesh looked in danger of folding cheaply, but Jaker Ali and Taijul Islam mounted a defiant stand.
Jaker and Taijul frustrated the West Indies attack for 19 overs, combining disciplined shot selection with opportunistic boundary-hitting. Jaker brought up his half-century with a pull shot, but the partnership ended when Taijul was bowled by Joseph for 27.
Jaker continued to fight, but his innings ended at 53 when he holed out to Seales at deep midwicket off Justin Greaves. The West Indies bowlers, tiring in the fading light, were unable to dismiss the final Bangladeshi wicket, with Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud surviving till stumps.
The hosts had set the tone for the match with a dominant first-innings batting display, led by Justin Greaves (115*), Mikyle Louis (97), and Alick Athanaze (90). On day three, their bowlers ensured that Bangladesh remained under pressure despite avoiding the follow-on.
Heading into the penultimate day, West Indies remain firmly in control, with a healthy lead and a single Bangladeshi wicket standing between them and a shot at victory. Bangladesh, meanwhile, face an uphill battle to avoid defeat in the first Test.
Global Super League trophy unveiled
The trophy for ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has been unveiled by Guyana’s President, His Excellency President Dr Mohammad Irfan Ali and shown to the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at a cricket event which was part of the Indian leader’s state visit to Guyana. GSL Chairman, Sir Clive Lloyd and Guyanese cricket great Alvin Kallicharran were also in attendance for the ceremony.
The trophy has been inspired by Guyana’s 276 discovered waterfalls including the magnificent Kaieteur Falls, the largest single drop waterfall in the world and has been designed by Indian company Loka Lifestyle.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of GSL, said: “The Global Super League is South America’s first standalone T20 tournament and is a fantastic opportunity to showcase beautiful Guyana to the rest of the world. With that in mind it is very fitting that the trophy highlights Kaieteur Falls, one of the most stunning landmarks in the region. We are looking forward to seeing which of the five competing teams will claim the trophy on 6th December.”
The Global Super League will see teams from Australia, Bangladesh, England, Guyana and Pakistan competing for the trophy and a US$1million prize pool. The tournament runs from 26 November to 6 December with all matches taking place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Zimbabwe crush Pakistan in rain-affected ODI series opener
Zimbabwe's spinners took centre-stage as they earned a crushing 80-run victory over Pakistan in the teams' rain-affected ODI opener on Sunday.
Torrential rain, thunder and lightning halted play after 21 overs of the Pakistan innings, with the tourists toiling at 60-6 after bowling Zimbabwe out for 205.
Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza each scalped two wickets apiece as no Pakistan batter surpassed the 19 runs managed by Mohammad Rizwan.
The dismal weather would ensure no further play was possible, with Pakistan having completed the requisite 20 overs to ensure a result would be declared, ensuring Zimbabwe won on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Richard Ngarava had earlier top-scored for Zimbabwe with a steady 48 off 52 balls, with Raza adding an important 39 from 56 deliveries after the hosts had been dropped to 99-5.
Salman Agha and Faisal Akram finished with three wickets apiece for Pakistan, but it was not enough to prevent Zimbabwe from being declared comfortable victors, with their total some way clear of the DLS par score of 141.
Data Debrief: Zimbabwe end Bulawayo hoodoo
Zimbabwe's victory may not have come in the circumstances they would have envisaged, but it did end their dismal run against Pakistan at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
They had lost each of their previous eight matches against Pakistan at the venue, only winning one of their last nine there overall (one draw, seven defeats), after winning three of their previous four.
They will hope to carry this momentum into Tuesday's second match at the same venue, as they bid to clinch victory in the three-match series.
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