LONDON. May 26: Surrey batsman David Ward smashed 73 in 57 deliveries on L_____j Wednesday to powerTils country into the semifinals of the Benson and Hedges Cup. reports Reuter.

Ward's whirlwind innings, containing six sixes and three fours, set up a six-wicket Surrey victory over Nottinghamshire in their quarter-final at Trent Bridge.

Notts had compiled an apparently testing 275 for eight in their 55 overs before rain curtailed play oh Tuesday, but Surrey ultimately cruised home at 278 for four In 51.4 overs.

Opener Darren Bicknell laid

a solid base with a composed 109 but it was Ward's savage hitting, including three sixes in one over from pace bowler Kevin Evans, that made a mockery of the target.

Alistair Brown, who lashed two sixes and a four in his 26 not out. finished the task in style against a Notts attack weakened by the absence from the game through illness of England paceman Chris Lewis.

Warwickshire reached the semifinals after beating Kent 5-4 in a bowl-out in the indoor school at Edgbaston.

The unsatisfactory conclusion. with five players from each side bowling two balls at three stumps, followed the abandonment of their rain-hit quarter-final.

England batsman Robin Smith lashed an unbeaten 73 from 55 balls to fire Hampshire into the semifinals with a nine-wicket win over Essex in a rain-reduced match at Southampton.

Essex made 124 for three in their 19 overs, and Smith swept Hampshire home at 127 for one with 10 balls to spare.

Smith struck four fours and two sixes, sharing an unbroken second wicket partnership of 114 In 13 overs with his cap-, tain Mark Nicholas, who hit 46 not out.

Hampshire. Warwickshire and Surrey go into the semifinals with Worcestershire, who knocked out holders Derbyshire, on Tuesday.