Aaron Finch made a brilliant 131 not out, the highest Twenty20 score by a Surrey batsman, as his side ended Sussex's unbeaten start to the Vitality Blast with a thumping 52-run South Group win at Hove.

Badly dropped by Jofra Archer with a single to his name, the Australian made the most of his reprieve with a brutal assault on the Sussex attack as he struck 10 fours and seven sixes from just 79 balls.

With 61 plundered off the last five overs he helped Surrey, who were put in, to 192-3, a total Sussex never looked like overhauling on a pitch offering seam movement and uneven bounce.

Opener Phil Salt made 74 in the reply but the next highest scorer was Archer's 19 as Sussex were bowled out for 140 in the 18th over.

It was Finch's night but Archer will have nightmares about the straightforward return catch he shelled when the right-hander pushed tentatively forward to the first ball of the second over. Somehow Archer failed to hold on to the simplest of chances and Finch was soon making Sussex pay.

Even leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who had been instrumental as Sussex won their first three games, was not spared.

Finch, who made 114 not out against the same county at the Kia Oval last year, hit the world ranked number-one T20 bowler for two fours and two sixes.

Sussex managed to restrict Surrey to less than eight an over for the first 15 overs but Ollie Pope (23 not out) sensibly made sure Finch saw as much of the strike as possible during the late assault.

The opener thrashed a further six fours and four sixes as the pair plundered an unbroken 100 from 50 balls for the fourth wicket.

David Wiese had earlier foxed Rory Burns with a slower ball and Danny Briggs trapped Nic Maddinson lbw in his first over.

Khan's brilliant pick-up and throw ran out Ben Foakes as he scampered through for a second.

Surrey were 92-3 in the 12th over but Khan, Archer and Chris Jordan, whose three overs cost 39 runs, were all targeted when Finch went into overdrive.

It was spectacular entertainment for a sell-out crowd of 6,200 but Sussex's response was tame in comparison.

Sam Curran, released from the England one-day international squad, set the tone by bowling back-to-back maidens and picking up Laurie Evans, the leading run-scorer in the Blast so far, off a mis-timed drive to mid-off.

In between, Luke Wright chipped Jade Dernbach to midwicket to leave Sussex eight for two and Matt Pillans had New Zealander Tom Bruce caught at deep midwicket and Michael Burgess held at long-on in successive overs.

Salt was eventually yorked by Pillans for a career-best 74 from 47 balls with eight fours and two sixes while Pillans, who took 3-20, was the pick of the Surrey attack.