Surrey gain semi place

Twenty20 Cup, Canterbury: Surrey 186/8 (20 overs) beat Kent 168-9 (20 overs) by 18 runs.

Full scorecard

Group tables

Surrey's big guns secured a Twenty20 Cup semi-final spot with an 18-run win over Kent at Canterbury.

Needing 189 to win after half-centuries from mark Ramprakash and Azhar Mahmood, the Spitfires kept the pressure on despite the loss of three early wickets, including big-hitter Andrew Symonds.

Ed Smith, who gained hitting experience in a spell of spring training with baseball's New York Mets in 1998, countered with 56 from 33 balls.

But when he was run out by a direct throw from James Benning at backward point, the hosts still needed 57 from 28 balls - a requirement that proved too much.

Despite sacrificing their second defeat to Surrey's 100% record, Kent could still reach the next round as the best runners-up.

Ramprakash reached 50 from 32 deliveries with a flicked six off Kent new boy Mohammed Sami.

And when the former England batsman was caught at long off for 53, Mahmood picked up the baton.

The Pakistan all-rounder, rated only 80% fit after suffering a leg injury during Sunday's defeat to England at Lord's, scored 27 off his last six deliveries to reach 57 not out, with five sixes.

Only Australian Symonds stood out from the Kent attack, conceding just 17 from four overs and having Benning caught at deep midwicket.

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Kent: A Symonds, P D Trego, J C Tredwell, M A Ealham, M J Walker G O Jones (Wkt), D P Fulton (Capt), M A Carberry, M J Dennington Mohammad Sami, E T Smith.

Surrey: I J Ward, A D Brown, J G E Benning, S A Newman M R Ramprakash, A J Hollioake (Capt), Azhar Mahmood, J N Batty (Wkt) I D K Salisbury, T J Murtagh, M P Bicknell.