Essex were impressive in beating Yorkshire by 95 runs at Headingley - the home side failing in yet another semi-final.

Meanwhile Leicestershire had a home success by 21 runs over the holders Surrey, with Darren Maddy and Chris Lewis starring front of England captain Alec Stewart.

It means that Leicestershire, winners of the first Benson and Hedges Cup will contest the last final of a competition which disappears from the cricket calendar after this season.

Maddy stars

Maddy, who was in the one-day England squad but not the five-day version made an unbeaten 120 during Leicestershire's season.

Jonathan Agnew reports from Grace Road

It was his third century in the competition this season and an innings in which he faced Leicestershire's first and last ball.

He was superbly supported by team-mate Ben Smith (89) in a partnership of 172.

West Indian Phil Simmons made 40 as Leicestershire set the favourites and holders a formidable total of 311-4 in their 50 overs.

In reply, Surrey were quickly in trouble as the first of their England stars, Alistair Brown was run out.

Inevitably the fielder was man of the match Maddy.

Then Chris Lewis - another who failed to make the test squad despite one-day appearances - got to work, and dismissed four more England batsmen for 40 runs.

He took the wickets of Stewart, one-day skipper Adam Hollioake, and Graham Thorpe and bizarrely trapped Mark Butcher hit wicket for 0.

Hollioake hit 85, and his brother Ben 63 in an innings of 290-8 which would have been impressive but for Leicestershire's massive total.

In the end that target of 312 was just too far for the holders.

Leicestershire scorecard

D L Maddy not out 120
I J Sutcliffe lbw b Bicknell 6
B F Smith st Stewart b Saqlain 89
P V Simmons b B Hollioake 40
PA Nixon run out 17
CC Lewis not out 0

Extras 39

Total 311 for 4 off 50 overs

FoW: 1-17 2-189 3-286 4-307

Did not bat: V J Wells, A Habib, J Ormond, A D Mullally, D Williamson.

Bowling:

Benjamin 10-2-33-0, Bicknell 10-0-55-1, Saqlain Mushtaq 10-0-46-1, AJ Hollioake 8-0-76-0, Salisbury 0.1-0-3-0, Butcher 1.5-0-22-0, BC Hollioake 10-1-60-1

Surrey scorecard

AD Brown run out 3
AJ Stewart c Simmons b Lewis 21
BC Hollioake c Lewis b Ormond 63
GP Thorpe c Nixon b Lewis 2
MA Butcher hit wicket b Lewis 0
AJ Hollioake b Lewis 85
JD Ratcliffe st Nixon b Simmons 41
MP Bicknell not out 38
Saqlain Mushtaq run out 11
JE Benjamin not out 1

Extras 26

Total 291-8 off 50 overs

Did not bat: IDK Salisbury.

FoW: 1-4 2-60 3-72 4-72 5-115 6-193 7-274 8-287.

Bowling:

Mullally 10-1-45-0, Ormond 10-0-58-1, Lewis 10-1-40-4, Wells 6-0-32-0, Simmons 9-0-69-1, Williamson 5-0-34-0.

Hussain leads Essex to Lord's

In the other semi-final between Yorkshire and Essex at Headingley, the away side's stand-in captain Nasser Hussain produced a typically determined innings to guide them out of early trouble.

Hussain 78 against Yorkshire

The England batsmen hit 78 in his team's total of 258-7 in their 50 overs - a vital contribution after an awful start in appalling conditions.

Leeds was so windy that play had to begin without bails, and before long Essex were 33-3.

Yorkshire fast bowler Chris Silverwood claimed two wickets in his opening three overs, including that of opener Darren Robinson who he trapped leg with the first delivery of the day.

Pat Murphy reports from Headingley

But Hussain steadied the ship, forming a crucial 63-run partnership in 17 overs with hard-hitting all-rounder Ronnie Irani, who made 39.

Yorkshire's innings started in a similar pattern, and they were soon 29-3.

Darren Lehmann and Ashley McGrath appeared to be getting things back on track before the Australian was out to Peter Such with the score on 100.

Former Yorkshire spinner Paul Grayson then took three wickets as the home side slumped to 135-7.

And despite a second break in the innings for rain, Essex held their nerve to leave Yorkshire almost 100 runs short in their third semi-final defeat in four years.

Essex scorecard

D D J Robinson lbw b Silverwood 0
S G Law c Parker b Silverwood 10
N Hussain lbw b Sidebottom 78
R J Rollins c Hamilton b Hutchison 9
R C Irani c Blakey b Sidebottom 39
A P Grayson c McGrath b White 24
S D Peters run out 17
D R Law not out 36
A P Cowan not out 15

Extras 30

Total 258 for 7 off 50 overs - innings closed

FOW: 1-0 2-17 3-33 4-116 5-159 6-189 7-202

Did not bat: M C Ilott, P M Such.

Bowling:

Silverwood 7-0-45-2, Hutchison 7-0-38-1, Hamilton 8-0-35-0, White 8-0-41-1, Sidebottom 10-0-42-2, Vaughan 10-0-43-0

Yorkshire scorecard

S Vaughan lbw b Cowan 0
C White c Rollins b Ilott 7
D Byas c Peters b Ilott 13
DS Lehmann c Rollins b Such 40
A McGrath b Grayson 39
B Parker lbw b Grayson 10
RJ Blakey c Such b Grayson 2
GM Hamilton b SG Law 20
CEW Silverwood run out 6
PM Hutchison not out 4
RJ Sidebottom st Rollins b S Law 4

Extras 18

Total 163 all out off 42.4 overs

FoW: 1-0 2-16 3-29 4-100 5-112 6-118 7-135 8-152 9-156. Bowling: