Sharks defeated at Glamorgan despite more runs from Burgess & Wiese

Another big partnership between Michael Burgess and David Wiese wasn’t enough to prevent Sussex Sharks falling to a six-wicket defeat against Glamorgan on Friday. The pair both scored half-centuries as Sussex made 277-8 from their 50 overs.

A 98-run partnership in ten overs between Glamorgan’s fifth wicket pairing of Colin Ingram (95*) and Kiran Carlson (59) ensured the home side claimed their first victory of this season’s competition with ten balls to spare.

This defeat and two abandoned games last week, has probably denied the Sharks any chance of qualifying for the latter stages of the competition with one match to play.

After Sussex had been put in, the two Lukes - Wright and Wells - gave their team a brisk start, sharing 41 in eight overs before Wells chipped Timm Van Der Gugten to mid-on.

Wright, who had scored 41 from 34 balls, then flicked one down the legside from Lukas Carey to the wicketkeeper, Chris Cooke.

Andrew Salter’s off spin was introduced in the 12th over, and with Graham Wagg bowling his cutters effectively from the other end, they restricted Sussex’s progress, with no boundaries conceded from 16 overs.

The visitors also lost two wickets, with Ben Brown run out by Carlson, and Harry Finch leg before to Salter.

After Ingram and David Lloyd- the fifth and sixth bowler- came into the attack, Burgess and Wiese restored Sussex’s fortunes, by adding 71 in the next 10 overs.

The 120-run partnership was broken by the admirable Wagg, who began his second spell by having Burgess caught low down at extra cover for a 45-ball 58, including one four and four sixes.

In the next over, Wiese struck a short ball from van der Gugten to cover point. His belligerent innings of 67 from 61 balls – his third consecutive fifty in the competition - included seven fours and two sixes as Sussex reached a commendable total.

Despite losing Nick Selman to Ishant Sharma early on, Aneurin Donald, who has experienced a lean start to the season, and Connor Brown moved along at a brisk pace and had put on 69 for Glamorgan’s second wicket, until Donald, who made 40, chipped Chris Jordan to Burgess on the mid-wicket boundary.

Brown quickly followed, dragging one from Sharma to mid-on, but David Lloyd gave Ingram valuable support by adding 77 for the fourth wicket, with Ingram the dominant partner.

Lloyd was out leg before to Jordan 20, but Kiran Carlson, playing his first game in the competition, soon made his intentions clear by striking Danny Briggs and Archer for sixes.

With five overs remaining, Glamorgan required 47, but the home team kept up with the required run rate with another brace of sixes from Carlson, as he reached a rapid unbeaten 59 from only 40 balls to see his side home.

Speaking at the conclusion of the match, Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie said: “It was a good game, but Glamorgan out-batted, out-fielded and out-bowled us, and they deserved their victory.

“We are better than that, and we need to dust ourselves down, and get ready for the game against Essex at Eastbourne on Sunday.”

Sussex Sharks’ final match in the South Group is against Essex Eagles at The Saffrons in Eastbourne on Sunday. Tickets are available on the gates, which open at 9.30am ahead of a 11am start.