Aaron Finch smashed 88 from 55 balls as Yorkshire Vikings won a controversial Roses match against Lancashire Lightning in the Natwest T20 Blast tonight.
A disputed six-run penalty against Lancashire due to a slow over rate meant that the Vikings needed 11 off the final over, but Richard Pyrah's six helped them reach their target of 180 with three balls to spare.
A blistering 55 from Tom Smith, who reached his half-century off only 22 balls and scored 47 off the Lightning's first 51 runs, gave the hosts a rapid start, but the spin of Adil Rashid (2-22) pegged them back.
Paul Horton's initially stuttering 60 guided Lancs to 179-7, but Australian Finch, who is ranked as the best Twenty20 batsman in the world, hit five huge sixes in a knock that inspired a five-wicket win.
At The Oval, Kevin Pietersen endured a miserable return to English cricket as he made just five in Surrey's five-wicket defeat to Essex Eagles, with good friend Ravi Bopara having him caught on the boundary.
Jason Roy (57) and Gary Wilson (45) were the only men to make significant contributions as the home side made 151-6, which Essex chased down with seven balls to go thanks to runs from all of the top order.
In contrast, Middlesex Panthers' innings of 192 was a one-man effort, with Dan Christian's 129 in a losing cause as they fell 16 runs short of the 208-4 set by Kent Spitfires at Canterbury.
Christian also took 2-29 with the ball, but half-centuries from Alex Blake and Sam Northeast guided Kent to a total which was beyond Middlesex's reach, even with Christian's remarkable 57-ball slog.
The Panthers have now lost six from six this season, and Derbyshire Falcons are also winless after Alex Hales scored 63 as Nottinghamshire Outlaws comfortably chased down 165-5 in an East Midlands derby.
Worcestershire Rapids are faring much better in the North Division and are now second behind Lancashire courtesy of a five-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes, which came in the final over.
Some late hitting from Tom Wells, who hit six boundaries in a quickfire 45 not out, took the Foxes to 164-6, but an unbeaten 67 from in-form captain Daryl Mitchell narrowly saw the Rapids over the line.
There were two stunning individual innings at Taunton, where Jim Allenby's 96 not out for Glamorgan was countered by 94 unbeaten runs from Peter Trego, but Somerset finished seven runs short of the Welsh outfit's total of 176, with Graham Wagg taking three crucial wickets.
Sussex Sharks needed four runs off the final ball to tie with Gloucestershire at Hove, but Graeme McCarter dismissed Will Beer to complete his five-wicket haul and earn the visitors a slender triumph.
Ian Cockbain had earlier hit 84 for Gloucestershire as they posted 189-6, despite Yasir Arafat's figures of 3-38, with Rory Hamilton-Brown's 49 and Beer's cameo of 37 not enough for the Sharks.
Finally, Birmingham Bears won for the second time since their rebranding, losing only four wickets as they knocked off the modest 146-7 that was set for them by Durham Jets at Edgbaston.
Full Results:
Worcestershire Rapids (167-5) beat Leicestershire Foxes (164-6) by five wickets.
Glamorgan (176-3) beat Somerset (169-4) by seven runs.
Yorkshire Vikings (180-5) beat Lancashire Lightning (179-6) by five wickets.
Essex Eagles (155-5) beat Surrey (151-6) by five wickets.
Birmingham Bears (147-4) beat Durham Jets (146-7) by six wickets.
Nottinghamshire Outlaws (165-5) beat Derbyshire Falcons (164-7) by five wickets.
Kent Spitfires (208-4) beat Middlesex (192 a/o) by 16 runs.
Gloucestershire (189-6) beat Sussex Sharks (185 a/o) by for runs.
Joe Fish
