Surrey, Essex, Somerset and The Blaze all won their T20 Women’s County Cup quarter-finals to book their place at Old Trafford for Finals Day next Saturday.
The three southern sides and Nottingham-based Blaze will bid to emulate Lancashire, who became the inaugural winners of this competition 15 months ago.
Last years’ beaten finalists Surrey won by 10 runs in the first of the day’s four quarter-finals to get going, against Warwickshire Bears at Portland Road.
The visitors had half-centuries from Kira Chathli (56) and Aylish Cranstone (53) and 36 in 17 balls from Jemima Spence to thank for posting 200-6.
After 42 from Davina Perrin and 41 from wicketkeeper Nat Wraith, home captain Katie George smashed 54 off 35 balls – but a clatter of three wickets in the 18th over halted the momentum and they fell just short.
Essex then booked their place with a nine-wicket win over Northants at Wantage Road.
Amelia Kemp (88 not out from 69 balls) scored over two-thirds of her side’s total as the hosts reached 123-8 from their 20 overs, before Jodi Grewcock (59) and Grace Scrivens (51) shared an unbroken 113-run stand to win on 127-2 with 17 balls to spare.
Somerset skipper Sophie Luff hit 80 off 51 balls to help her side reach 207-7 against Hampshire at Southampton.
Abi Norgrove responded with 57, but the Hawks fell well short, bowled out for 172 to lose by 35 runs.
And The Blaze were way too good for holders Lancashire at the Nottinghamshire Sports Ground at West Bridgford.
After The Blaze ran up 160-8, the visitors -including the soon-to-retire Kate Cross – collapsed spectacularly from 52-0 in the sixth over.
Emma Lamb (30) and Eve Jones (24) gave Lancs a good start, but Lucy Higham, who got rid of both openers in taking 3-15 and Josie Groves (4-14), then did most of the damage to inflict a crushing 65-run defeat.