Sussex collapse again as Surrey stroll to win in T20 Blast

Sharks were well-beaten by Surrey, despite reaching 92 without loss in seven overs.

They failed to double their score from that position, losing ten wickets for 77 runs as bowlers Dan Lawrence and Tom Lawes put a stranglehold on the home team.

That left Surrey needing just 172 for victory and Will Jacks, with memories of his century at Hove last season, and Australian Josh Philippe, making his first appearance for the club, led the way with a century stand for the second wicket, each scoring fifty from 25 deliveries.

The victory margin was seven wickets with 27 deliveries to spare.

Sussex skipper Mills said: “We were very poor. We were poor in the first half of the tournament but we were in games and we lost a couple of very close ones.

“We needed five wins out of six to qualify so we’ve obviously made it pretty difficult for ourselves at the get-go.

"We wanted to start well today and carry momentum into the rest of the competition. It’s a very disappointing night.

“It’s a trend that we throw away good starts. We’ve had analysis done and we’re the best batting team in the country in the powerplay.

"And then we fall off a cliff pretty much every game.

“It’s a pattern. We lost four for 15 today and you’re not going to win games doing that, especially against teams like Surrey.

"We need high scores at Hove in particular. It’s a high-scoring ground, a nice ground to bat on. But we fell away after getting ahead of the game.”

Harrison Ward’s  29-ball 49 included seven fours and two sixes.

Fellow opener Daniel Hughes drove Tom Lawes straight to Chris Jordan at extra-cover for a 19-ball 45, with six fours and two sixes.

When Surrey captain Sam Curran came on to bowl the last over of the powerplay, Ward hit him for 4-6-4-6-dot-4, the first six flying over square-leg and out of the ground.

But from 94 without loss in the eighth over Sussex lost quick wickets as Lawrence and Lawes brought some control back to the Surrey attack.

James Coles, playing probably his last Vitality Blast game for Sussex before joining England’s T20 squad, had scored just two when he lifted Lawes to Jordan at long-on.

In the next over Oli Carter was bowled by Lawes for another two and when John Simpson swung Lawes straight into the hands of Lawrence at deep midwicket Sussex were suddenly 122 for five and had lost five wickets in as many overs for just 28 runs.

At that stage Sussex, with a long tail, relied on Tom Alsop, and he played well for 31 before clipping Reece Topley to fine leg.

Unusually, Lawrence and Lawes bowled out their full allocation in one spell, and in tandem, taking the first five wickets and turning the game. 

After the early loss of Jason Roy, Surrey raced to 124 for one at the halfway stage.

Philippe fell for 52 but Jacks, with an unbeaten 70 off 39 balls, saw Surrey comfortably home in the company of Lawrence with 27 balls remaining.

Ollie Robinson, back from England duty, bowled his full four overs and took 1-28.

Coles had 2-35 from four but Mills went for 35 from just two overs.

Sussex now prepare to visit Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Wednesday and are back at Hove to play Essex on Friday (both 7pm).