Barrow’s Liam Livingstone missed out on reaching Finals Day of the Vitality Blast with Lancashire Lightning after they were defeated by six wickets by Essex Eagles in the quarter finals.

With two overs of Essex’s chase left, Lancashire looked well set to defend their total of 159-5 and book their place at Edgbaston for the second year in a row with Essex still needing 23 runs to win.

Unfortunately, the decision by Lightning captain Dane Vilas to bring on part-time spinner Livingstone in the penultimate over backfired, as the Eagles bludgeoned 22 off it.

After a single from Ryan ten Doeschate, former England international Ravi Bopara smashed the next two deliveries for six before running a single.

Ten Doeschate was then dropped by James Faulkner at long off, running two in the process, before the Dutchman’s six down the ground finished the over, and the match as a contest.

Another six over midwicket from Bopara, who finished unbeaten on 39 off 18 balls, then finished the contest, which was played at the Riverside Ground at Chester-le-Street with Old Trafford unavailable, with four deliveries to spare.

On a cold evening in Durham, Alex Davies had earlier held Lancashire’s innings together with a fantastic 80 not out off 55 balls, which included nine fours.

Livingstone (4) was the first Lightning wicket to fall when he was bowled by Adam Beard in the first over, but a fourth wicket stand worth 89 with Vilas (41) helped the ‘hosts’ recover from 47-3.

Cameron Delport’s 44 off 30 deliveries got Essex off to a good start, but Lancashire were able to reign the visitors in somewhat once he was dismissed by Steven Croft.

Livingstone, who was expensive in leaking 1-47 from his four overs, did claim the wicket of Dan Lawrence (15) when Faulkner took a fantastic diving catch at long off to leave the Eagles on 105-4.

However, the experienced duo of ten Doeschate (45 not out) and Bopara produced an unbeaten stand of 60 to send Essex through.