Sussex’s disappointing FL t20 campaign ended on a low note as they were comfortably beaten at Hove by Kent in what was a wooden spoon decider.

The Sharks lost their ninth game out of ten – going down by eight wickets - to finish rooted to the bottom of the south group.

Matt Machan briefly lit up another miserable performance with the bat by Sussex as they were bowled out for just 113.

Matt Coles blasted 40 from 23 balls as Kent made light work of such a low total, cruising home with 41 balls to spare.

Machan got Sussex’s innings off to a flying start as he launched Mark Davies for three sixes in one over to leave the Sharks 33-0 after three overs.

But it all went downhill when Machan was caught going for another big hit off the same bowler having made 31 from 20 balls.

Luke Wright, Chris Nash fell cheaply to Coles and although Rory Hamilton-Brown smashed Davies for another couple of sixes he was dismissed for 16 by Darren Stevens.

Adam Riley and Stevens tied the Sussex batsmen down as they failed to hit a boundary in six consecutive overs as Scott Styris and Ed Joyce took 27 balls to put on 16.

Joyce did end the boundary drought by pulling Stevens for four while Will Beer also found the ropes off Coles but runs proved hard to come by.

Riley picked up the wicket of Scott Styris to finish with impressive figures of 1-14 while Coles got rid of Joyce for 26 to return 3-14.

Mitchell Claydon (3-22) dismissed Beer and Callum Jackson in his final over with Jimmy Anyon – on his t20 debut for Sussex – being run out off the last ball.

Sussex needed early wickets if they were to stand a chance of defending such a low total but instead Coles began thrashing the bowlers all around the ground.

Coles hit two sixes off Chris Liddle and another off Jimmy Anyon before being bowled by Will Beer going for another big slog having made 40 off 23 balls.

Daniel Bell-Drummond joined in with a six off Anyon although the bowler gained his revenge next ball by having him caught for what was his first t20 wicket for Sussex.

Fabian Cowdrey made 28 and Sam Billings 19 as Kent finished the job with the minimum of fuss to bring the curtain down on a truly forgettable t20 campaign for Sussex.