Lancashire reached the quarter-finals of the Friends Provident t20 for the fourth season running after beating North Division leaders Nottinghamshire.

The Red Rose county gained revenge on the Outlaws for a comprehensive defeat at Trent Bridge earlier in the competition and were also thankful for Warwickshire's win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston.

They continued their impressive record at Old Trafford - the Lightning have only lost eight times in eight seasons here, including two this summer.

But, despite restricting David Hussey's side to a below par 136 for seven after the Australian won the toss and elected to bat, they were forced to chase a Duckworth Lewis altered target of 81 off 10 overs after an hour's rain delay.

Stephen Moore crashed 51 not out off 24 balls to underpin his side's nine-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.

Alex Hales was the only man who went beyond 11 for the visitors, notching his fourth half-century and finishing with a career best 83 off 61.

The 21 year-old was dropped on 24 by Moore at deep square leg off the bowling of Tom Smith in the seventh over.

He hit eight fours and a six over mid-wicket off Sajid Mahmood before being bowled by left armer Gary Keedy to leave the score at 129 for seven after 19 overs.

Veteran Red Rose spinner Keedy was playing his first game of the season after breaking his right collarbone in a pre-season friendly. He finished with two for 27 from his four overs, also dismissing Chris Read.

Stand-in captain Mark Chilton opened the bowling with Nathan McCullum and Simon Kerrigan, both spinners, and McCullum finished with two for 23.

The New Zealander had Ally Brown caught at mid on by Steven Croft with the fourth ball of the match and later had Steven Mullaney caught and bowled.

Mullaney was the only other Notts player to hit a boundary aside from Hales.

Smith also chipped in with two for six but he only bowled two overs. The medium pacer had Matt Wood and Samit Patel caught at mid-wicket and mid on by Chilton and Mahmood respectively.

Smith and Moore then shared 43 for the first wicket inside five overs in a definitive opening stand. But Smith was trapped lbw by Ryan Sidebottom for 16.

Moore hit sixes over square leg and mid-wicket off Darren Pattinson and Dirk Nannes in the first two overs of the reply.

A feature of the home side's batting was also their running between the wickets, turning ones into twos on a regular basis.

Moore hit a 24-ball half-century in a win against Yorkshire last Friday but bettered that by one ball tonight.

Croft (15no off 12 balls) hit Graeme White for six over long on to confirm the win.

Notts still need a victory from their last two matches to guarantee a home draw in the last eight.