Cricket

Sussex Sharks secured a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast after thrashing Middlesex by nine wickets in front of a sell-out crowd at Hove. The victory propelled Sussex into second place in the South Group, leapfrogging Somerset, who lost heavily to Glamorgan in Cardiff.The pitch at the 1st Central County Ground was being used for the third time, but Middlesex's 159 for 9 never looked like being enough. Sussex openers Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes put on a dominant 141-run partnership in 15.1 overs, Sussex's fourth highest stand for any wicket in T20.Hughes, in his debut season in the Blast, is now the tournament's leading scorer with 560 runs. He remained unbeaten on 96, hitting 12 fours and three sixes. Ward, who had been drafted into the Hundred for the first time with Oval Invincibles earlier in the day, celebrated with his third half-century of the competition.Apart from a mix-up which nearly ended in Hughes being run out, the Sussex pair dominated the Middlesex bowling. Ward was eventually caught at deep mid-wicket for 56 (42 balls, 5 fours, 1 six).Hughes faced just 54 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes. He hit the winning six with 22 deliveries to spare, equaling his T20 career-best with his fourth fifty.Sussex's disciplined bowling had set up the victory. They had reduced Middlesex to 22 for 3 by the third over, with Ollie Robinson picking up a wicket with the first ball of his first two overs. Leus du Plooy was superbly caught at short-cover by Hughes, and Danny Lamb produced an even better effort to remove Max Holden.Later in the same over, Lamb put down a chance to reprieve Jack Davies on nought and had to go off with an injury to his right shoulder. It left Sussex a bowler light, but slow left-armer James Coles (2 for 28) and off-spinner Jack Carson (2 for 23) strangled Middlesex's attempts to accelerate. Davies celebrated his reprieve by making 52, hitting four boundaries in an over off Scott Currie and three sixes. However, Carson got him in the 14th over courtesy of one of three catches on the mid-wicket boundary by Tom Clark.Luke Hollman made 28 at the end, but Hughes and Ward soon had Sussex's chase under control. Middlesex finished another disappointing campaign second from bottom after winning just three games.

Sussex Sharks extended their winning streak in the Vitality Blast to five victories in seven matches after defeating Kent Spitfires by 31 runs at The 1st Central County Ground in Hove. Kent, on the other hand, suffered their fourth consecutive defeat.Chasing a target of 202, Kent's pursuit was hindered from the outset when Zak Crawley was dismissed for 4 by Ollie Robinson in the opening over. Marcus O'Riordan followed suit in the second over, edging Nathan McAndrew to first slip.The onus fell on Daniel Bell-Drummond and skipper Sam Billings to salvage Kent's innings. The duo forged a 93-run partnership for the third wicket, providing a glimmer of hope. However, Tymal Mills' introduction into the attack proved pivotal. He dismissed Bell-Drummond and Billings in quick succession, effectively ending Kent's hopes.Despite a spirited knock from Joey Evison and a quickfire 18 from Harry Finch, Kent fell short of the target. Danny Lamb completed an impressive all-round performance with figures of 3 for 37.Earlier, Kent opted to field and made a promising start, restricting Sussex to just three runs in the opening two overs. However, Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes unleashed a flurry of boundaries, propelling Sussex to 68 without loss from the powerplay.Ward reached his fifty from just 24 balls, showcasing his power-hitting prowess. Kent broke through in the seventh over when Hughes was caught at long-leg attempting a third six off Matt Parkinson. Ward followed soon after, caught on the deep midwicket boundary.Sussex lost five wickets for just 36 runs, but Lamb's late hitting ensured they surpassed 200. Kent's bowlers generally performed well, but Swanepoel and Stewart were disappointing.

Sussex's openers, Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes, unleashed a batting masterclass to secure an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Essex in the Vitality Blast. The duo's blistering partnership of 99 runs off just eight overs laid the foundation for Sussex's dominant performance.Ward, who struck 68 off 36 deliveries, and Hughes, who smashed 47 off 18 balls, plundered 10 sixes around the Chelmsford ground. Hughes's onslaught included four maximums in a single over from Daniel Sams, who conceded 32 runs in that over alone.Essex's bowlers struggled to contain the Sussex openers, with Shane Snater and Aaron Beard conceding eight fours in the first three overs. Ben Allison provided some respite, but Hughes and Ward continued their assault, reaching 50 runs off just nine balls.Hughes's dismissal for 47 brought John Simpson to the crease, who sealed the victory with a quickfire 10 runs off two balls in the 16th over. Sussex's fourth win in five Blast matches this season was a testament to their aggressive batting approach.In contrast, Essex's batting faltered after a promising start. Dean Elgar anchored two fifty-run partnerships with Adam Rossington and Michael Pepper, but the team's momentum was halted by Pepper's dismissal for 51.Essex lost eight wickets for 54 runs in 43 balls, finishing on a below-par 178 for 9. Nathan McAndrew was the pick of the Sussex bowlers, claiming three wickets for 33 runs.The pre-match news that Essex had omitted Simon Harmer from the team raised eyebrows. Harmer, who was set to play his 100th T20 game for Essex, had struggled for form in the Blast, failing to take a wicket in the team's first five matches.Despite the absence of Harmer, Essex's batting failed to fire, with only Elgar and Pepper reaching significant scores. Sussex's bowlers exploited the Essex batsmen's vulnerability to spin, with Danny Lamb and James Coles claiming two wickets each.Sussex's victory was a comprehensive display of their batting prowess. Ward and Hughes's opening partnership set the tone for the match, while Simpson's quickfire cameo sealed the deal. Essex, on the other hand, will need to address their batting woes if they are to challenge for the Blast title.