Sussex batsman Harrison Ward has admitted to T20 frustration, writes Joe Grant.

Sharks slipped to their ninth defeat of their Vitality Blast campaign, losing by 28 runs to Essex Eagles.

Essex qualified for the quarter finals with the win, whilst Sussex sit down in seventh with one game to go.

Adam Rossington smashed 95 runs off 50 balls, including ten fours and five sixes to help his side towards a good score of 197 from their 20 overs.

Harrison Ward was extremely impressed with the opener's innings, he said, “It was a great innings from him. He came out from ball one and pretty much timed the ball the best I’ve seen all year really.”

Tom Westley provided the aggression towards the end of the Essex innings as it seemed to be petering out, hitting 54 off just 30 balls.

Ward was one of a few Sussex batters who got off to a great start but couldn’t push on and make a meaningful score leaving the Sharks well short of the 198 required for victory.

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“It’s massively frustrating, there was a couple starts in there and if one of us goes on to get 60, 70 and people bat around, then I reckon we’re potentially in a different position to where we are after the game.”

The 22-year-old scored 31 off 22 balls and helped Sussex alongside Ali Orr reach 77 runs for one wicket by the end of the power play and the home side looked in a great position to chase down the Eagles score.

However, Orr was caught in the deep by Michael Pepper for 41 off 21 balls as he attempted his third six of the game and Ward soon followed him, also caught on the boundary by Paul Walter going for a maximum off the bowling of Daniel Sams.

Ward put the defeat down to cheap wickets in the middle overs, he said “At halfway we were looking good and then we lost cheap wickets in the middle really.

"A couple of wickets in clusters is never ideal in a game of T20 cricket.”

Ravi Bopara scored 47 from 28 but like his teammates could only get a start and was caught by Ben Allison off the bowling of Sams. Sussex have had a disappointing T20 Blast campaign, but it has been a positive tournament for Ward.

The academy graduate said: “My T20 form has been good. It’s difficult I’ve opened, batted three, six, seven and even eight this year so it’s been up and down."

"But it’s nice to play a role in the side and play every game other than one through injury."