Gayle storm hits Essex

After a nervous start on his Somerset debut, the West Indies star smashed 92 from just 59 balls after Essex had been bowled out for 176.

Opening duo Jesse Ryder and Tom Westley scored half-centuries in a losing cause for the hosts, who were pegged back after reaching 90 without loss in eight overs.

Middlesex cruised to a second convincing victory in 24 hours as Dawid Malan smashed an unbeaten 115 off 64 balls as Sussex were beaten by 42 runs at Hove.

The left-hander, who only returned to action on Thursday in the 115-run win over Kent having recovered from a broken finger, underpinned a total of 221 for two with a chanceless century.

It was Malan's second hundred in the format and, with his opening partner Paul Stirling contributing a similarly explosive 88, Middlesex ran up their highest score in the competition.

Luke Wright made 91 in reply but Kyle Abbott (five for 14) ensured Sussex fell short as they finished on 179 for nine.

Meanwhile at New Road, a second match in 24 hours was a step too far for Leicestershire Foxes as they suffered a six-wicket defeat to Worcestershire Rapids.

Daryl Mitchell was the home side's wounded matchwinner, accelerating to the only half-century of the evening after taking a fearful crack on his right arm early in the reply to the Foxes' total of 147 for six.

A brilliant 96 by Sam Northeast off 47 balls powered Kent to a 23-run win over Surrey in the local derby at Beckenham.

Northeast was joined by Fabian Cowdrey (42 from 32) in a thunderous fourth-wicket stand of 98 in nine overs as Kent ran up 193 for eight - their highest T20 score against Surrey. That proved too much for Surrey as they finished on 170 for eight.

Hampshire bounced back from defeat last week with a victory over Glamorgan by 21 runs on a tired pitch at the SWALEC Stadium.

Those conditions were very much to the liking of the Hampshire attack, who did a fine job of defending 149 in the South Group contest.

Birmingham Bears claimed their second T20 Blast victory of the season, but were made to wait until the final ball to complete a five-wicket win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

Opener William Porterfield anchored the Bears' successful chase of 147 at Wantage Road with an unbeaten 55 as the defending champions followed up their win over Worcestershire.

Meanwhile, Hashim Amla ended his brief stint with Derbyshire on a winning note as his half-century helped the Falcons beat Lancashire Lightning by five wickets at the County Ground.

The South African Test captain scored 51 off 37 balls and shared Derbyshire's highest T20 opening stand against Lancashire of 93 with Tillakaratne Dilshan, who made 38 from 33 balls on his first appearance for the county as the home side easily chased down a target of 128 to claim their first win.

Also in the North Group, Durham christened their new floodlights with an exciting six-run win over previously unbeaten Yorkshire to move two points clear in top spot..

The hosts made 182 for four batting first with four of their top six scoring in the 30s, and then limited Yorkshire to 176 for eight in reply as Keaton Jennings (four for 37) starred with the ball.