Flintoff has a ball

Andrew Flintoff was back in action with the ball for Lancashire at Old Trafford

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Andrew Flintoff returned to bowling action as Lancashire secured their place in the Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals with a 23-run victory over Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford.

The 30-year-old all-rounder made nine with the bat as Lou Vincent hit a 36-ball 56 to help the Red Rose reach 155 for eight as veteran Mark Ealham collected three wickets for 21 runs.

Will Jefferson struck a run-a-ball 35 and Chris Cairns (21) also chipped in but the Outlaws were dismissed for 132 as Francois Du Plessis (2-16) and Simon Marshall (2-20) finished the pick of the attack.

Flintoff had Australian Adam Voges caught behind off just the fifth ball of Nottinghamshire's reply in two over of express place before he came back for two one over spells at the start of the 15th over to finish with 1-27.

Surrey claimed a six-run victory over Kent at Canterbury despite the heroics of Spitfires all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.

The Brown Caps reached 166 for seven with valuable knocks from Scott Newman (38), Alistair Brown (30) and Abdul Razzaq (39) with Ryan McLaren the pick of the Kent attack after he took 2-26.

Kent were in trouble at 55 for five but Mahmood rescued them with an impressive 55 from 31 balls - but with 14 runs needed off the last over, Azhar was dismissed off the first ball, caught on the boundary.

With seven runs needed off two balls McLaren was caught at deep midwicket for 16 to dent Kent’s hopes of qualification to the quarter finals as Razzaq collected four for 17 for the visitors.

Daryl Mitchell took four for 11 as Worcestershire defeated Gloucestershire by 59 runs in a low scoring contest at Bristol.

The Royals reached 152 for eight thanks largely to 41 from Stephen Moore and 32 from Ben Smith as Mark Hardinges claimed 4-30 off his allotted four overs.

But despite 27 from Hardinges, the Gladiators - finalists last year - were skittled for just 93 as Mitchell and Chris Whelan (2-26) ran through the home side’s batting line-up.

Danish Kaneria held his nerve to secure a tie for Essex in their game against Hampshire

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Danish Kaneria hit two runs off the last ball to ensure Essex tied their match with Hampshire in a thrilling finish at the Rose Bowl.

Chasing Hampshire's 164 for six, Essex went into the last over from Billy Taylor needing 11 to win.

A tense final over from Taylor in which David Masters struck a four left Kaneria needing to score three runs from the last ball of the innings to ensure an Essex victory.

Kaneria struck the ball to midwicket, the ball bouncing just in front of Michael Carberry as Masters and Kaneria scampered two important runs.

Skipper Ed Joyce steered Middlesex home by six wickets with a cool unbeaten 28 to help his side chase down a target of 152 with six balls to spare under the Hove floodlights to condemn Sussex to their seventh defeat in the competition.

Opener Billy Godleman set up the Crusaders' victory by cracking 69 from 49 balls with seven fours and two sixes, and he shared in a first-wicket stand of 65 with Dan Housego (17).

Joyce and Dawid Malan (15no) batted sensibly in the closing overs to see their side home comfortably with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 39 after Middlesex had slipped to 114 for four.

Durham claimed a seven-wicket victory over Derbyshire under the Duckworth-Lewis method after the game was halted several times by the setting sun at Derby.

The Phantoms made 118 for six thanks to Rikki Clarke’s 36 as Liam Plunkett and Gareth Breese both snaffled two wickets for 18 and 15 respectively.

Durham were set a revised total of 121 and despite losing openers Michael Di Venuto and Phil Mustard for ducks, Dale Benkenstein (47no) and Albie Morkel (54) saw the Dynamos home.