OLLIE Currill smashed a six off the final ball to send Oxfordshire through to the NCCA Trophy semi-finals with a thrilling win over Suffolk.

With the hosts needing four to triumph, the all-rounder dispatched Jack Beaumont’s full toss to complete a sensational 76 not out off 35 balls.

Suffolk set Oxon 282 to win in the 50-over competition and the chase seemed to be faltering when Jacob Townsend fell to leave the hosts 194/7.

But Currill and Prav Chahal put on 90 for the eighth wicket to secure an unlikely triumph and keep Rupert Evans’ side on course for their third National Counties trophy in 12 months.

Suffolk won the toss and elected to bat at Banbury CC, but Robbie Shurmer removed openers Beaumont and Andrew Northcote inside the first eight overs to leave the visitors 30/2.

George Rhodes and Alex Oxley put on 80 for the third wicket and the away side were 110/3 when Joe Thomas dismissed the latter for 42.

They continued to move along steadily, though, even after slipping from 164/3 to 165/5 when Shurmer bowled Ben Parker and George Tait trapped Darren Batch lbw for a duck.

Rhodes was caught by Olly Clarke off the bowling of Thomas five short of his century, but Darren Ironside (45) and Josh Cantrell (29*) kept Suffolk on course with a 68-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Ironside fell in the final over, with captain Tom Rash smashing 11 off three balls to push the visitors up to 281/7.

The skipper bowled Harry Smith for eight early in the hosts’ reply as Oxon found themselves behind the run rate from the start of their innings.

Zach Lion-Cachet (15) and Freddie Smith (47) fell before the halfway mark, before Clarke and captain Jonny Cater put on 82 for the fourth wicket.

The contest was in the balance before Clarke fell for 57 to leave Oxon 169/4 in the 38th over, but it quicky swung Suffolk’s way.

Tait went for one, before Cater was run out for 41 and Townsend was bowled by Patrick Sadler with the very next ball as the hosts’ hopes looked in tatters.

Oxon needed 88 off 40 when Chahal came to the crease and they still required 64 from the last 23 balls when Currill took matters into his own hands.

The No 7 had already hit two sixes and smashed six more, with the final one sealing victory. Chahal contributed a crucial 19 to leave the hosts on track to hold all three NCCA trophies at once.