Ravi Bopara said some of Sussex's seam bowling and fielding let them down as their feint Vitality Blast hopes ended last night.

Sharks cannot make the last eight after a six-wicket defeat away to Kent.

They followed a win over leaders Surrey by losing to the bottom team in the South Group.

Joe Denly hit 58 and Sam Billings was unbeaten on 33 as Kent eventually coasted home with seven balls remaining, chasing 159.

Sussex set 158-7. Ali Orr made 36 and Harrison Ward 33.

But they failed to kick on after racing to 76-1 at the end of eight overs until Gorge Garton hit 31 off 16 at the end.

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Skipper Bopara said: “We knew it was going to be difficult once the ball gets soft and on that wicket, which was a turning wicket, we made a good start.

"We were happy with 160 and I think, speaking to some of the Kent boys, they thought 160 was a big score but we I don’t think we started well with ball, especially with the seam department.

“The spinners bowled really well but they just weren’t backed up by the rest.

"We had Rashid Khan on at one end, which does help but we just didn’t bowl well enough, we didn’t field well enough, we dropped catches and all those sorts of things.

"We gave away a lot of twos when we could have played a bit more smart cricket."

Sussex were unable to repeat the turnaround which brought them the win over Surrey 24 hours earlier.

They effectively go out of the competition with two home games still to play.

Bopara said: "Last night was definitely in the back of our minds.

"It only takes a couple of good balls and suddenly you’re back into the lower order with Rashid Khan with six balls up his sleeve, but we didn’t make it happen.”