Hampshire slog their way to top with eight sixes from nine balls

Hampshire produced an amazing run of sixes as they went top of the Friends Life t20 south group in strange circumstances in a slog-out with Kent.

Heavy rain meant each side got only five overs, but Hampshire used theirs to full effect, scoring 78 for the loss of only one wicket. Michael Lumb and Jimmy Adams shared in a run of eight sixes off nine balls, split between the overs bowled by Simon Cook and Adam Ball, who went for 28 each.

Ball did at least get a wicket, that of Lumb who went for 35 off 11 balls. Adams was unbeaten on 33 while James Vince made six. Darren Stevens made 45 not out off 16 balls for Kent, but they could not catch Hampshire as they made 58 for two, slipping to a 20-run defeat.

Sussex moved up to second with a seven-wicket victory at Gloucestershire in a rain-shortened match. The hosts made just 97 for nine in their 17 overs with Chris Taylor's 22 the best any of their batsmen had to offer, Monty Panesar helping himself to three wickets for 14. Sussex easily rattled off the required runs, winning with 15 balls to spare.

Sussex moved above Somerset on run rate even though they romped to a 40-run victory over Middlesex at Taunton. Somerset posted 235 for five, the fourth highest total in county Twenty20 games, with Craig Kieswetter scoring 59 from just 22 balls. Gemaal Hussain and Lewis Gregory then took three wickets apiece as Middlesex could only reach 195 for nine.

Lancashire made it three wins out of three in the north group with an emphatic five-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes at Grace Road. Opener Tom Smith hit a sparkling 75 as Lancashire made light work of chasing down a target of 174. Josh Cobb top-scored for the Foxes with a competition-best innings of 60.

Nottinghamshire kept up the pressure on the leaders by posting their highest ever score in Twenty20 to thrash Yorkshire by 53 runs. The Outlaws recovered from two early wickets to make 215 for six, with Adam Voges making 74 off 46 balls and Samit Patel managing 52 off just 23 balls, including three sixes in four delivered off Joe Root.

Any faint hopes Yorkshire had of chasing them down ended in the 13th over with the quick dismissals of Adam Lyth for 43 and key man Anthony McGrath for just nine.

Warwickshire could not keep pace with the leading pair as they suffered their first defeat in the competition, going down by 40 runs to Northamptonshire. Johan Botha took four for 16 - his best figures in Twenty20 - as Warwickshire were dismissed for their lowest Twenty20 total of 110.

Northamptonshire had made 150 for eight, highlighted by a Twenty20 world record-equalling ninth-wicket stand of 59 from Jack Brooks and David Willey. New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel did his best to keep the visitors in check with figures of three for 19.

Durham's 450-mile round trip to New Road proved to be a wasted journey when their fixture with Worcestershire was abandoned without a ball being bowled.