T20 Blast round-up: Birmingham Bears set new record total

A round-up of Friday's Vitality Blast action as Birmingham Bears made the highest total ever in the competition, while there was also runs aplenty elsewhere with Essex and Hampshire piling up the runs.

Birmingham Bears recorded the highest total ever made in English domestic T20 cricket as they amassed 261-2 against Nottinghamshire en route to a 55-run win over the Outlaws in their Vitality Blast North Group clash at Trent Bridge.

Just seven better scores have ever been made in all world T20 cricket and one of those was by the Czech Republic over Turkey as Birmingham trio Sam Hain (112 not out), Adam Hose (88no) and Rob Yates (53) tore into the Nottinghamshire attack.

The Bears' unbeaten stand of 174 in just 70 balls between Hain - with his maiden hundred at this level - and Hose was the best for the third wicket in this country, beating Hose's own 171 with Ian Bell four years ago.

Joe Clarke smashed 86 from 45 balls in riposte to take the Outlaws to 150-2, with 112 needed at 14.6 per over, but he fell at long-off and the rest crashed in 36 balls.

Josh Cobb led from the front as Northamptonshire made light of missing Chris Lynn through injury to thrash group leaders Lancashire by seven wickets at Wantage Road.

Lynn was ruled with a calf strain, but Cobb, dropped on nought, made 57 off 32 balls including four sixes as the hosts chased down a target of 154 with 22 balls to spare.

Ben Curran provided great support with 50 of his own against a Lancashire side without Liam Livingstone, away on England duty.

The visitors clearly missed him as despite skipper Dane Vilas' 38 and an explosive 31 from Tim David, they could only muster 153-7. Graeme White and Ben Sanderson both returned 2-28, while Tom Taylor took 1-21.

Adam