Sussex are beaten finalists at Second XI T20 Finals Day

Sussex were beaten finalists at Second XI T20 Finals Day on Thursday evening after losing to Warwickshire at Arundel Castle.

A strong Sussex side, which featured Phil Salt, Ravi Bopara, Travis Head and Delray Rawlins all looking for game time after three Vitality Blast washouts in a row, bowled first in their semi-final against Yorkshire.

Stuart Meaker was the pick of the attack, taking figures of 4-31, while Rawlins took 1-12 from his three overs and Mitch Claydon returned figures of 1-36 as Yorkshire were restricted to 134-6.

In reply, Salt scored a blistering 58 off just 25 balls, with 26 coming off one Josh Sullivan over, and Head was unbeaten on 66* off 37 balls, with eight fours and three sixes, before Ravi Bopara (9*) hit the winning runs to seal a nine-wicket win inside 12 overs.

Warwickshire were the opponents in the final, after they had beaten Middlesex by 18 runs in the first semi-final, and they also opted to bat first with England’s Dom Sibley opening.

He could only muster three off seven balls, however, after Claydon had him caught behind, before Henry Crocombe, James Coles, Joe Sarro and Meaker took a wicket apiece.

Matthew Montgomery top-scored for Warwickshire with 60 off 43 balls, and it was his innings that proved to be the difference with the Bears finishing on 149-5.

Sussex fell 55 runs short of their target after the impressive George Garrett took 5-19 and Ryan Sidebottom ended with 2-16.

Openers Edward Taylor and Harrison Ward were dismissed for seven and 13 respectively, before Thomason was bowled by Sidebottom and Garrett claimed the wickets of Rawlins, Ali Orr and Coles.

Oli Carter, on the day he signed a rookie contract with the club, was the unbeaten batsman on 14*, but he could only watch on as Meaker, Crocombe, Claydon and Sarro fell at the other end and Sussex were all out for 95.

A full scorecard of the semi-final can be found HERE.

A full scorecard of the final can be found HERE.