Sussex are through to the Vitality Blast last eight after a raucous night at Hove.

They held their nerve when it mattered in front of a full house to beat Middlesex by 31 runs.

Sussex set 215-5, led by Luke Wright’s 74 off 48 balls, and bowled out their visitors for 184.

The first target, having been put in on a must-win occasion, was a productive powerplay.

Phil Salt ensured they got it as he powered them to 80-1 off six overs. Salt was out in the sixth over for a spectacular 66 off 25 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.

The opening pair took 20 off the second over, delivered by Tom Barber, crowned by an enormous driven six by Salt over extra cover.

Over No.3 topped that, bringing 21. Salt picked up successive legside deliveries in the next over, from James Fuller, and sent them sailing high over the boundary between long-on and deep midwicket.

James Harris offered Salt a full toss outside off and then strayed to leg off successive balls in the fourth over. Both went to the rope.

Salt’s 50 off 19 balls (equalling his recent effort at Lord’s) came up with a deft late glance through the slip area.

But it wasn’t all about boundaries. The pair were also sharp between the wickets.

Fuller applied the brakes for Middlesex when he held a good catch above his head at a deep gully position as Salt drove aggressively outside off stump.

Where Salt had gone from nought to 60 in no time, Wright and Laurie Evans moved stylishly through the gears.

Wright passed 7,000 T20 runs and Evans showed off a range of shots before mistiming tamely to extra cover for 36 off 27. But the innings lost its fizz after that.

Delray Rawlins suffered his second first-baller in successive nights, flicking off his legs behind square, and Wright was caught at mid-off to give Fuller three wickets in four balls.

Danny Briggs bowled George Scott in the first over of the reply but Paul Stirling hit two towering offside sixes as the second, from Tymal Mills, went for 24.

Stirling and John Simpson added 122 from 49 balls for the second wicket – lofting nine sixes between them - and there was serious Sussex concern building.

But Will Beer (2-29) bowled the former for 58 in the ninth over and had the latter held by Salt on the long-off boundary for 62 in the 11th.

Safe hands by Michael Burgess in the 15th over edged Sharks closer.

He took a high throw from Briggs (2-22) and got his hands down in time to run out key man Eoin Morgan.

Then he made no mistake when James Franklin launched the highest of the night off the same bowler.

Two wickets for Mills (2-31) on his return to the attack – Steve Eskinazi playing on and Fuller caught in the deep by Rawlins – put the quarters within sight.