Ravi Bopara rolled back the years with a scintillating century as Northamptonshire stunned Surrey in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast at The Kia Oval.
In a rain-reduced 14-overs-a-side contest, Bopara (105no off 46 balls) smashed 12 fours and five sixes to notch the third T20 ton of his career at the age of 40, Northamptonshire posting 154-4 after being inserted by Surrey.
In reply, the home side took a thrilling contest down to the wire courtesy of a fine fifty from Sam Curran (69no off 38), who further bolstered his claims for an England recall.
The 27-year-old all-rounder starred for Oval Invincibles as they secured a third-straight men’s Hundred title at the weekend, and though he carried that form with him on his Surrey return, he couldn’t quite see his side over the line.
With 19 needed off the final over, Curran cracked Ben Sanderson’s third ball for six, but Surrey would ultimately fall seven runs short.
Defeat extends Surrey’s drought in the domestic T20 competition, with the inaugural champions in 2003 yet to lift the trophy since.
Two-time winners Northants book their first trip back to T20 Finals Day – on Saturday, September 13, live on Sky Sports – since 2016, when they last clinched the title.
Bopara’s ton was all the more remarkable considering Northamptonshire’s innings got off to a disastrous start when two down for only one run after the first over – Ricardo Vasconcelos and captain David Willey both out for ducks to Jordan Clark (3-13).
Surrey also lost early wickets, reduced to 9-2, before Ollie Pope (41 off 23) and Curran got things back on track with a stand of 74.
George Scrimshaw (3-34) broke the partnership, adding the further scalps of Dan Lawrence (2) and Laurie Evans (15) as Surrey’s chase sputtered late on but for Curran’s near match-winning heroics.
Vitality Blast quarter-finals on Sky Sports
All times UK and Ireland, all live on Sky Sports
- Wednesday Sep 3 (The Kia Oval): Northants beat Surrey by seven runs
- Friday Sep 5: Durham vs Hampshire (Chester-le-Street, 6.30pm)
- Saturday Sep 6: Lancashire vs Kent (Old Trafford, 2.30pm)
- Saturday Sep 6: Somerset vs Bears (Taunton, 6.30pm)
The winners advance to Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 13, which is also live in full on Sky Sports.
Watch England’s white-ball series with South Africa and the conclustion of the 2025 Vitality Blast live on Sky Sports Cricket or stream contract-free with NOW.