Sharks go clear at top with fifth consecutive win

Sussex Sharks strengthened their grip on the South Group in the Vitality Blast after easing to a four-wicket wicket win over Middlesex at The 1st Central County Ground on Friday.

A sold-out 6,000 crowd  saw third-placed Middlesex recover from 40 for 5 to 127 for 6 with Ollie Robinson taking 4 for 13. Despite losing two wickets in the powerplay Sussex sealed their victory with 22 balls to spare.

It was their sixth win in eight games with one match washed out and the other tied and means they have opened up a two-point lead at the top of the South Group.

Australian Alex Carey top-scored with 32 while skipper Luke Wright and David Wiese both made 26 with Wiese smashing two leg-side sixes, one of which cleared the main scoreboard, off Finn. Delray Rawlins cleared the ropes off Helm to win the game.

Middlesex were without Eoin Morgan, who has a sore back, and AB de Villiers, who has returned to South Africa after playing in their first seven games and they never really recovered after a terrible power-play which ended with them reeling on 28 for 4.

Rawlins held a well-judged catch on the mid-wicket boundary to remove Paul Stirling (6) in Chris Jordan’s first over before Robinson, benefitting from some seam movement on a sticky pitch, picked up three wickets including two in his third over on his way to career-best figures of 4 for 13.

Dan Lincoln played on for a duck, Dawid Malan (7) inside-edged to wicketkeeper Carey and John Simpson (0) was caught at short fine-leg after gloving Robinson’s short ball.

Steve Eskinazi and George Scott took the score to 40 when Scott (6) was leg before playing across the line in the ninth over to give Briggs, who conceded just 16 runs in his four overs, a deserved wicket.

Middlesex were in danger of being bowled out but Eskinazi and Toby Roland-Jones, who was dropped on 7 and 9, consolidated before pushing the accelerator in the final five overs as they added 76 off 57 balls with Eskinazi lodging his fifth T20 half-century.

Roland-Jones supported him well with 40 off 34 balls including two fours and two sixes before Robinson yorked him in the penultimate over to claim his fourth wicket. Eskinazi finished on 57 not out from 48 balls with six boundaries.

The visitors needed early wickets and soon had Sussex 15 for 2. Phil Salt was superbly caught on the run by Nathan Sowter at deep mid-wicket and Laurie Evans (8) edged Mujeeb Ur Rahman to slip. Wright (26) looked in good order until he mis-timed a drive and was taken at mid-off but Middlesex simply didn’t have enough runs to defend.

Man of the match Robinson reflected on the team's performance: "We spoke about them only having five or six out and out batters and getting into them as soon as possible and we managed to do that. 

"There was a little bit of seam movement and some extra bounce bowling down the hill, it was more like bowling with the red ball to be honest and I enjoyed myself and contributed to a good win.

"We're full of confidence at the moment. We haven't been at our best in every game but different people have stood up at different times to get us over the line and we're just looking to keep that going for as long as possible. We're in a good position in the group and just need to keep finding a way of winning games. We have got a lot of depth throughout the squad and team-wise we are in a good place."