A review of Friday's action in the T20 Blast

Friday results

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire (182-5) tied with Middlesex (182-9)
New Road: Warwickshire (153-2) beat Worcestershire by eight wickets  
Emirates Riverside: Lancashire (192-6) beat Durham (140-7) by 52 runs
Chelmsford: Surrey (188-8) beat Essex (186-6) by two runs  
SWALEC Stadium: Hampshire  (167-5) beat Glamorgan (145-9) by 22 runs  
Northampton: Derbyshire (180-3) beat Northamptonshire (179-6) by seven wickets
Headingly: Yorkshire (227-5) beat Nottinghamshire (179-8) by 48 runs 

Friday review

Middlesex's Ryan Higgins smashed an unbeaten 68 as his side's opening NatWest T20 Blast game against Gloucestershire ended in a dramatic tie.

Gloucestershire looked set for victory at Cheltenham after setting a target of 183 when they reduced Middlesex to 119 for eight after 15.4 overs.

But Zimbabwe-born Higgins clubbed six sixes and four fours to reach 68 off 28 balls and clinch the visitors a thrilling and unlikely tie.

Middlesex needed 11 off the final over and one of the last ball, from which Nathan Sowter was caught off Benny Howell.

Holders Northamptonshire Steelbacks suffered a losing start to the defence of their crown as they crashed to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Derbyshire Falcons, for whom Luis Reece scored 75 not out off 51 balls.

The Steelbacks put on 179 for six thanks in the main to opener Ben Duckett (69) and the Falcons reached their target for the loss of only three wickets, with Wayne Madsen chipping in with 37 off 22 balls.

Birmingham Bears skipper Ian Bell struck an unbeaten 75 off 55 deliveries to help his side cruise to an eight-wicket win against local rivals Worcestershire.

The former England batsman, back after an elbow injury, put on 98 for the first wicket with Sam Hain (47) after Worcestershire had posted 152 for nine off their 20 overs.

Bell hit one six and eight fours as the Bears reached their target in the penultimate over, with partner Grant Elliott unbeaten on 18.

Australian Shaun Marsh scored 60 not out off 37 balls on his debut and opener Adam Lyth made a 50-ball 82 as Yorkshire Vikings beat Nottinghamshire Outlaws by 48 runs at Headingley.

Overseas signing Marsh smashed two sixes and four fours, while Lyth struck three sixes to help Yorkshire reach 227 for five - their highest ever T20 score.

Nottinghamshire's in-form opener Alex Hales was caught off the bowling of Azeem Rafiq three short of his half-century and although Steven Mullaney hit three sixes to reach 39 off 18 balls, the Outlaws fell well short on 179 for eight.

England one-day star Jos Buttler's 39-ball half-century helped set Lancashire Lightning on their way to a 52-run win against Durham Jets at the Riverside.

Buttler's 59 included two sixes and four fours and he was well supported by Arron Lilley's 30 off 15 deliveries and Dane Vilas' 29-ball 35 as Lightning put on 192 for six.

Durham, last season's runners-up, struggled to get going in reply and apart from Paul Collingwood (48) no other home batsman reached 30 as they were restricted to 140 for seven.

Hampshire wicketkeeper Lewis McManus smashed five sixes on his way to 59 off 35 deliveries as his side beat Glamorgan by 22 runs in Cardiff.

McManus and George Bailey (37) helped Hampshire post 167 for five before Shahid Afridi took four Glamorgan wickets for 20 runs as the home side mustered 145 for nine, despite Graham Wagg's 28-ball 50, which included three sixes.

Surrey sealed a thrilling two-run win in Chelmsford against Essex Eagles, who fell just short of their victory target of 189.

Australian Aaron Finch and Dominic Sibley starred with the bat for Surrey, making 56 and 61 respectively to help their side reach 188 for eight.

Finch hit three sixes and six fours as he faced just 27 balls and Sibley struck for sixes before being run out for 61.

Ravi Bopara's 46-ball 75, including five sixes, ensured Essex made a real fist of it in reply, but with four needed off the last two balls, Ashar Zaidi was bowled by Tom Curran and the hosts ended on 186 for six.