MICHAEL Lumb guided Yorkshire into the last eight of the Twenty20 Cup as his unbeaten 84 secured a seven-wicket victory over Lancashire at Headingley.

Yorkshire qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time as one of the best third-placed teams and will play Essex at Chelmsford later this month.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff provided the only bright moment for Lancashire, hitting two sixes and five fours en-route to the Red Rose county's top score of 47.

Tim Bresnan and Richard Dawson took three wickets apiece as the visitors finished on 131-9.

Yorkshire wasted no time in setting about their target as Lumb hit three sixes and nine fours in their 137-3, while Darren Lehmann added 37. Essex confirmed their place as group winners after a four-wicket victory over Sussex at Hove with Ronnie Irani unbeaten on 100 off just 61 balls.

Sussex made 173-5 with Matt Prior leading the way with 73.

However, Irani scored two sixes and 13 fours, hitting the final boundary off the last ball to claim victory with the scores tied.

Surrey leapfrogged Kent after a 60-run defeat of their hosts at Canterbury.

Both teams went through, however, with Kent drawn away to Leicestershire and Surrey at Gloucestershire in the quarter-finals on July 24.

Rob White and David Sales guaranteed a semi-final berth for Northamptonshire as they cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Bristol, earning them a trip to Nottinghamshire.

Only Mark Hardinges made any kind of impact with an unbeaten 94 as Gloucestershire totalled 154-7.

The Steelbacks quickly set about their target with White particularly potent, scoring 66 off 62 deliveries before falling with just four runs needed --but Sales (68 not out) finished things off.