Cricket

Trent Rockets' Rovman Powell propelled his team to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Oval Invincibles at Trent Bridge, keeping their hopes of reaching the Hundred final alive.The Invincibles, who had been on the cusp of securing a spot in Sunday's final at Lord's, were denied by Powell's explosive hitting. Despite their loss, they remain favorites to advance directly to the final as group winners. However, Birmingham Phoenix could overtake them on net run-rate with a substantial victory over Manchester Originals on Thursday.Invincibles captain Sam Billings acknowledged the Rockets' strength, stating that their season could have been different. He emphasized the importance of adapting to different conditions, as the Oval played differently from Lord's.Powell joined Tom Alsop at the crease with the Rockets needing 95 runs from 52 balls and three wickets down. The duo formed an 80-run partnership in just 32 balls, propelling the Rockets towards the Invincibles' total of 150.Powell's pyrotechnics included four sixes, one of which traveled 101 meters off Sam Curran's bowling. However, Curran eventually induced Powell to miscue a lofted drive to long-on.Despite Powell's dismissal, Alsop and Chris Green guided the Rockets to victory with six balls to spare.The Invincibles had earlier posted a competitive 150 for 3, thanks to Dawid Malan's composed half-century and contributions from Will Jacks and Jordan Cox.Saqib Mahmood bowled with pace and hostility for the Rockets, accounting for Tom Banton. Alex Hales and Joe Root provided a recovery, but their dismissals gave the Invincibles hope.However, Powell and Alsop's heroics ensured that the Rockets kept their playoff hopes alive.

Sussex Sharks finally broke their winless streak in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, securing a six-wicket victory over Surrey at Hove. The triumph marked Sussex's first win in seven attempts this season, while Surrey's losing streak against their rivals in List A matches extended to 2016.After a disappointing start to the competition, Sussex made six changes to their lineup, including the return of experienced players like Ollie Robinson. The move proved fruitful as Tom Haines and Tom Alsop forged a crucial 153-run partnership for the second wicket. Haines contributed 79 runs off 95 balls, while Alsop remained unbeaten on 108, hitting 12 fours and three sixes.Surrey's batting lineup struggled to keep up with Sussex's momentum. Despite a promising start, they lost their last seven wickets for just 57 runs. Ben Geddes top-scored for Surrey with 81, but his dismissal by Haines triggered a collapse. Sussex spinners Archie Lenham and Jack Carson played a pivotal role in restricting Surrey's scoring, taking two wickets each.The victory was a much-needed boost for Sussex, who had suffered a heavy loss in their previous outing against Gloucestershire. The win also provided a timely confidence boost for Robinson, who is aiming to regain match fitness ahead of Sussex's crucial championship fixture against Yorkshire next week.

Sussex Sharks have secured a resounding 88-run victory over Kent Spitfires in the Vitality Blast at Canterbury, boosting their chances of reaching the quarter-finals.After a shaky start that saw them lose four wickets for 64 runs, Sussex recovered magnificently thanks to an unbroken 139-run partnership between Tom Alsop and John Simpson. Alsop led the charge with a blistering 87 off just 41 deliveries, while Simpson played a steady hand with 53 off 39.Kent's hopes had been high after Jas Singh claimed two wickets in three balls, but Alsop's onslaught shattered their momentum. The Sharks' total of 203 for four proved too daunting for the Spitfires, who collapsed to 115 all out with 3.4 overs remaining.James Coles was the star performer for Sussex with the ball, taking four wickets for just 12 runs. Tawanda Muyeye provided some resistance for Kent with an elegant 45 off 25 balls, but the Spitfires were unable to keep up with the required run rate.The victory was a demoralizing blow for Kent, who remain rooted to the bottom of the South Group. Their decision to field first backfired as Marcus O'Riordan's opening over went for 17 runs. Singh's early wickets gave Kent a glimmer of hope, but Alsop and Simpson's partnership proved too strong.Sussex's fielding also played a crucial role in their victory. After a tight first half, Kent's fielding fell apart in the death overs, with dropped catches and missed run outs. Joey Evison's 20th over went for 21 runs, allowing Sussex to launch a final assault.For Kent, Muyeye's early fireworks were not enough to prevent a disappointing defeat. The Spitfires' batting lineup struggled to cope with the pressure of the run rate, and their fielding errors compounded their problems.The victory puts Sussex in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals, while Kent's hopes of reaching the knockout stages are fading fast.

Sussex Sharks soared to a thrilling seven-run victory over Hampshire Hawks in the Vitality Blast South Group, securing their second spot in the standings. Nathan McAndrew emerged as the hero, showcasing his prowess with both bat and ball.McAndrew's blistering 32 off 11 deliveries propelled Sussex to a respectable total of 184 for 8. Tom Alsop's steady 43 off 27 provided a solid foundation, while James Coles contributed 39. Hampshire's Michael Neser impressed with 3 for 32, but McAndrew's late-innings fireworks proved crucial.In response, Hampshire's chase started sluggishly, losing two wickets in the powerplay. James Vince and Joe Weatherley steadied the ship with an 88-run partnership, but Vince's departure for 53 halted their momentum. Weatherley's 68 off 47 kept Hampshire in contention, but McAndrew's economical 1 for 21 and Danny Lamb's resolute defense of 25 off the final over sealed the victory for Sussex.McAndrew's all-round brilliance was the catalyst for Sussex's triumph. His aggressive batting and miserly bowling played a pivotal role in securing the win. Alsop's composed innings and Coles' steady contribution also proved valuable.For Hampshire, Vince's half-century and Weatherley's late surge were commendable, but their overall batting performance fell short of the required rate. Neser's early wickets were impressive, but the team's inability to capitalize on their opportunities ultimately cost them the match.Sussex's victory marks their first Utilita Bowl win since 2020 and extends their lead over Hampshire to six points. The Sharks will look to maintain their momentum in their upcoming fixtures, while Hampshire will seek to regroup and improve their batting performance.

Sussex Sharks stunned Surrey with a dominant 36-run victory at the Kia Oval, handing the defending champions their first defeat in this season's Vitality Blast.Tom Alsop's blistering 68 off 36 deliveries and Daniel Hughes' composed 65 off 42 propelled Sussex to an imposing 213 for 7, their highest score against Surrey in the format.Surrey's chase was anchored by Ollie Pope's unbeaten 99, but Sussex's disciplined bowling, led by Nathan McAndrew's 3 for 32, proved too formidable.Alsop, demoted to number six in the Sussex order, played a pivotal role, adding 47 with Hughes and 68 with McAndrew. Hughes' four boundaries in an over from Gus Atkinson showcased his class, while Alsop's eight fours and three sixes kept the Surrey bowlers at bay.McAndrew's late cameo of 29 from 15 pushed Sussex past 200, setting a challenging target for Surrey.Surrey's openers fell cheaply, but Roy and Pope steadied the ship with a 73-run stand. However, Sussex's spinners, Archie Lenham and James Coles, applied pressure, preventing Surrey from accelerating.Roy's dismissal in the 13th over proved crucial, as Lenham and Coles continued to stifle the Surrey batsmen. Smith's brief threat was extinguished by a toe-ended drive, leaving Pope with an insurmountable task.Despite reaching his maiden T20 century in the final over, Pope's efforts were in vain as Sussex secured a well-deserved victory.

Sussex's Tom Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara led a resilient batting display on day two of their County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Hove. Despite trailing by 150 runs, Sussex reached stumps at 267 for 5, thanks to Alsop's 84 and Pujara's unbeaten 75.The slow pitch at the 1st Central County Ground has favored batters, with seamers struggling to generate movement and spinners finding only slow turn. Gloucestershire's last two wickets added 109 runs in 22 overs at the start of the day, with Zafar Gohar scoring 60.Sussex's openers, Tom Haines and Tom Clark, made a solid start, but Dale's opening spell proved too much for Haines. Clark fought hard for his 53 off 124 balls, but Goodman's short ball proved his undoing.Alsop and Pujara then combined for an 85-run partnership, with Alsop reaching fifty off 100 balls. However, Goodman struck again, removing Alsop with a diving catch at long leg.Pujara continued to impress, adding 52 with James Coles before Gohar took two wickets in two balls four overs before the close. Coles was caught looking to clear the short square-leg boundary, while Carson was pinned on the back leg.Gloucestershire will be hoping to remove Pujara early on day three and build a substantial first-innings lead. Sussex, on the other hand, will need to bat patiently and avoid further collapses.