Sussex’s slim knockout hopes ended as Gloucestershire cruise to victory

Gloucestershire 165 for five (Charlesworth 34) beat Sussex 160 for 9 (Burgess 64*, Ward 54, van Buuren 2-13) by 5 wickets

Sussex Sharks’ hopes of compressing into the knockout levels of the Vitality Blast ended with a disappointing five-wicket defeat in opposition to Gloucestershire at Hove.

It means Surrey, Hampshire, Essex and Kent will combat it out on Sunday to affix Somerset within the knockout levels whereas Sussex had been left to remorse that they solely gained one in all their seven video games on the 1st Central County Floor.

Gloucestershire all the time appeared to have the sport below management after they decreased Sussex to 52 for 4 within the seventh over. Ajeet Dale picked up two wickets within the powerplay together with Sharks’ skipper Ravi Bopara, who had made 108 within the win in opposition to Kent on Friday.

This time he received a forefront, with Charlesworth taking an ideal catch working in from midwicket, and when Shadab Khan gave a return catch to Tom Smith within the subsequent over, Gloucestershire had been in management.

Smith ought to have had Michael Burgess caught on 21 however Grant Roelofsen dropped an easy catch within the covers. It was to show a pricey miss as Burgess and Harrison Ward added 64 from 47 balls with Ward reaching his second T20 fifty, the opposite having are available in Sussex’s win in Bristol final week.

Burgess reached the second T20 fifty of his profession in a useful closing over when 18 had been taken off Josh Shaw with Burgess hitting the final two balls for six as he completed on 64 from 51 deliveries, however it did not look to be sufficient.

Gloucestershire’s reply was given a terrific begin by South African Roelofsen, who hit 30 off 14 balls earlier than turning into the primary of two wickets in three balls for McAndrew, who then pinned Ben Wells in entrance, within the fifth over.

Bopara needed to go off taking a blow to the suitable hand stopping a straight drive from Charlesworth within the ninth over and though his substitute Hudson-Prentice bowled Charlesworth to maintain Sussex within the contest, Gloucestershire had been all the time forward of the run price.

Sussex used eight bowlers and Shadab’s googly was too good for van Buuren within the fifteenth over, however James Bracey and Jack Taylor chased down the goal with the minimal of fuss and a disappointing marketing campaign for Sussex was summed up when the successful runs got here from 4 wides.

Gloucestershire may nonetheless have a say within the battle for the highest 4 after they conclude their marketing campaign in opposition to Hampshire on the Ageas Bowl on Sunday.