Notts Outlaws prevailed by three wickets in a low-scoring thriller at Trent Bridge, where winless Warwickshire Bears were bowled out for 139 in their final over before the home side scrambled home with just one ball to spare.
Jack Haynes hit three sixes to top-score with 36 from 17 balls for the hosts while, Scotland international George Munsey hit 27 and South African George Linde 29, including the winning boundary, after off-spinner Rob Yates had kept the Bears chances of a first win alive by taking 4-22.
Yates had earlier put on 54 from 34 balls for the opening wicket with Zen Malik (29) but Kai Smith’s 34 was as good as it got for the visitors as Mohammad Ali claimed 3-27 as Notts picked up their second win in five matches in North Group.
An unbeaten half-century by Australian all-rounder Ashton Turner – the 20th of his T20 career – eased Leicestershire Foxes to a four-wicket victory against Sussex Sharks at Hove to see the visitors leapfrog Lancashire off the foot of the North Group.
Both teams had won just once in five games and Sussex squandered another good start when they were bowled out for 179 despite an opening stand of 98 in nine overs by Ward and Dan Hughes, with Ward clubbing five sixes and seven fours in a 33-ball knock of 69.
Leicestershire lost wickets regularly in the first half of their reply and the game was in the balance at 118-5 in the 13th over.
But Turner and skipper Ben Green plundered 41 from 20 balls to break the back of the chase and Turner sealed victory with 14 deliveries to spare. His 57 off 28 balls included six fours and three sixes and was his second in this season’s competition.