LEEDS (England), May 7: Lancashire secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Benson and Hedges Cup against the odds Monday after skittling Yorkshire out for their lowest ever score in the 50-over competition.

England all-rounder Andy Flintoff took a career-best limited-overs return of four for 11 as last year’s county champions were dismissed for just 81 in 27.2 overs in their final qualifying group game at Headingley.

Glenn Chapple then struck 42 runs off just 26 deliveries as Lancashire completed a comprehensive eight-wicket win off only 10.5 overs.

The win left Lancashire placed third in the North Division but with an agonising 4-1/2 hour wait before the outcome of other games confirmed their place in the last eight as one of the two third-best finishers.

Warwickshire were the other side to qualify through the back-door, beating Glamorgan by 58 runs in Cardiff and claiming third place in the MidWest Division.

South African captain Shaun Pollock took four for 12 in nine overs as the Welsh county were all out for 203 in reply to Warwickshire’s 261 for eight.

In the quarterfinals, Lancashire travel to North Division winners Leicestershire, while Warwickshire meet Sussex.

Gloucestershire and Essex have home advantage in the other two ties against Worcestershire and Yorkshire respectively.

Essex (233 for eight) beat Kent by two wickets with four balls to spare at Canterbury to top the South Division.

But 2001 champions Surrey finished bottom of their division after the tightest finish of the day against Sussex at Hove.

Sussex took the points having lost one fewer wicket after both sides had scored 220.

Gloucestershire suffered their first defeat as they lost by 118 runs to Northamptonshire, with John Blain taking five for 30 as they were bowled out for 94 in 24 overs.

Monday’s results:

North Division

At Riverside: Durham beat Derbyshire by four wickets. Derbyshire 172 in 48.2 overs; Durham 174-6 in 46.5 overs (P.D. Collingwood 51). Durham two points.

At Grace Road: Match reduced to 22 overs per side due to rain. Leicestershire beat Nottinghamshire by eight wickets. Nottinghamshire 95 in 21.4 overs; Leicestershire 98-2 in 18.1 overs. Leicestershire two points.

At Headingley: Lancashire beat Yorkshire by eight wickets. Yorkshire 81 in 27.2 overs (A. Flintoff 4-11); Lancashire 82-2 in 10.5 overs. Lancashire two points.

Midlands/West/Wales Division

At Cardiff: Warwickshire beat Glamorgan by 58 runs. Warwickshire 261 in 50 overs (M.J. Powell 74, S.M. Pollock 64); Glamorgan 203 in 47 overs (M.J. Powell 51; S.M. Pollock 4-12). Warwickshire two points.

At Northampton: Northamptonshire beat Gloucestershire by 118 runs. Northamptonshire 212-5 in 44 overs, innings closed (R.J. Warren 78); Gloucestershire 94 in 24 overs (J.A.R. Blain 5-30). Northamptonshire two points.

At Taunton: Worcestershire beat Somerset by seven wickets (D/L method). Somerset 126-9 in 32 overs, innings closed; Worcestershire 122-3 in 19 overs. Worcestershire two points

South Division

At The Rose Bowl: Hampshire beat Middlesex by three runs. Hampshire 237-5 in 50 overs (J.P. Crawley 103 not out, G. White 60); Middlesex 234-9 in 50 overs (E. Joyce 53). Hampshire two points.

At Canterbury: Essex beat Kent by two wickets. Kent 231-9 in 50 overs (D.P. Fulton 80, M. Walker 64; A.J. Clarke 4-44); Essex 233-8 in 49.2 overs (R.C. Irani 50 not out). Essex two points.

At Hove: Match reduced to 46 overs per side due to rain. Sussex beat Surrey by losing fewer wickets. Surrey 220 in 44.4 overs (A.D. Brown 97; B. Taylor 4-23); Sussex 220-9 in 46 overs (R.R. Montgomerie 66; Azhar Mahmood 4-34). Sussex two points.—Reuters