South Africa smashed

Surrey beat Essex in last night’s Friends Life T20 clash but both sides left The Kia Oval in celebratory mood after qualifying for next week’s quarter-finals.

Victory secured a home tie for Surrey — they take on Somerset at the Kia Oval next Tuesday — while Essex will travel to Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire on Thursday.

Essex’s progression was at the expense of Middlesex who, needing victory against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, came desperately close to claiming a place in the quarter-finals.

Chasing a target of 191, Middlesex reached 182 for seven thanks to Joe Denly’s belligerent 67 and a rapid 29 from Eoin Morgan.

Middlesex’s defeat allowed Essex to secure their place in the last eight as one of the two best third-placed sides.

Set a target of 166, they lost by 61 runs, 38-year-old Zander de Bruyn finishing with four for 19.

Surrey’s triumph was built upon a fine innings from opener Steve Davies. After watching Jason Roy and Vikram Solanki depart in Graham Napier’s first over with only 12 on the board, former England one-day wicketkeeper Davies struck a punishing 54 from only 27 balls. Surrey’s opponents next Tuesday, twice finalists Somerset, beat Warwickshire by 10 runs earlier this week to make it through to the knockout stage for the fifth consecutive year.