Archie Lenham spoke of his disappointment at Sussex’s 50-overs campaign as it ended with another defeat.

Sharks went down by five wickets at home to Essex in the final Metro Bank Cup group fixture.

They lost seven of their eight games and came bottom of Group B for the second season running.

The county have won just twice in the competition since reaching the semi-finals in 2022.

They were always struggling after being reduced to 50-6 batting first.

Sussex eventually reached 226-9 but Essex, who themselves could not qualify for the next stage after a poor campaign, won with 28 balls to spare.

Lenham said: “It has been a disappointing competition for us if we’re honest.

“We lost two games by one wicket and one by ten runs so it could have been completely different if we had won those games.

“Personally it has been nice to have had a good run (of games) in the competition and I think I’ve bowled well at times but there’s also a lot for me to work on too.”

Sussex won the toss but after openers Tom Clark and Tom Haines put on 25 with few alarms they lost four wickets in 16 balls.

Ben Allison made the breakthrough when Clark spliced a pull to mid-on then Jamie Porter ripped through the Sussex top order, taking 4-34.

John Simpson (pictured) determinedly put conditions into perspective as he scored 69 and he got good support from the lower order.

He added 27 with Lenham (9) and then found another reliable partner in 20-year-old left-hander Bertie Foreman, who has been one of Sussex’s best performers in a disappointing campaign.

They put on 54 for the eighth wicket with Simpson making his tenth List A fifty.

Foreman (48) spliced a pull in the penultimate over with a maiden List A half-century in his sights after adding 66 for the ninth wicket with No.10 Henry Crocombe, whose unbeaten 43 at least gave Sussex something to defend, the last three wickets having put on 138.

Luc Benkenstein (49) and Essex skipper Tom Westley (76) broke the back of the chase with 94 for the second wicket at a run a ball