JORDAN THOMPSON held his nerve to defend five off the final over and send Yorkshire Vikings through to Vitality Blast Finals Day with a dramatic one-run win against Surrey at the Kia Oval, writes Ben Kosky.

The home side looked firm favourites to reach Edgbaston after a fiery partnership of 67 from 35 balls between Jamie Overton and Laurie Evans had taken them to the verge of victory.

But Overton was run out by wicketkeeper Tom Kohler-Cadmore – whose knock of 62 from 48 had anchored the Vikings’ total of 160 for five – and Thompson removed Sunil Narine next ball before conceding only a bye off the final delivery.

It means Yorkshire will head to Edgbaston on July 16 for only their third appearance at Finals Day and their first since 2016.

With Chris Jordan away on England duty, Will Jacks stood in as Surrey captain and led by example, sending down four consecutive overs for just 20 after he had opted to put the Vikings in.

They lost both openers inside the first nine deliveries, with Adam Lyth slapping Jacks to the diving Overton at short cover and Finn Allen perishing when the same fielder clasped a skier off Dan Worrall.

Kohler-Cadmore and David Willey rebuilt with a partnership of 93 from 80, although they took their time to get going, finding the boundary just four times during the first half of the innings.

Apart from a Dan Moriarty over that went for 16, with both batters clubbing the spinner straight back over his head into the pavilion, Yorkshire struggled for momentum and Willey (30) eventually holed out to long-on off Narine.

Kohler-Cadmore departed next over in identical fashion, but some inspired hitting from Shadab Khan (21 from 12) and Will Fraine, who ended unbeaten on 32 from 14, ensured that the visitors posted a competitive total.

Willey almost struck with the first ball of Surrey’s reply as Jacks nudged him to point, where Jonny Tattersall stretched and failed to hold on, but the Vikings skipper did take his opposite number’s scalp later in the over courtesy of a top edge to third man.

However, Rory Burns and Tom Curran regained the initiative by savaging Matt Revis, whose second over cost 22 and Yorkshire quickly turned to spinners Shadab and Dom Bess to plug the flow of runs.

The pair succeeded in that task, with Shadab (two for 29) also picking up the valuable wickets of Burns, bowled for 28 and Ollie Pope, who swept him into the waiting hands of deep square leg as Surrey began to lose their way.

Willey (two for 26) brought himself back on, immediately tempting Curran (36 from 28) to pick out long leg, but Overton smashed successive sixes off Revis and it looked as though his innings of 40 from 21 would prove decisive.

But Overton was run out attempting to steal a single and Evans was left stranded on 35 not out as Yorkshire triumphed in a thrilling finish.