Sussex Sharks vs Leicestershire Foxes

An unbeaten half-century by Australian all-rounder Ashton Turner - the 20th of his T20 career - eased Leicestershire Foxes to a four-wicket victory against Sussex Sharks in the Vitality Blast at Hove. 

Both teams had won just once in five games and Sussex squandered another good start when they were bowled out for 179 despite an opening stand of 98 in nine overs by Harrison Ward and Dan Hughes.

Leicestershire lost wickets regularly in the first half of their reply and the game was in the balance at 118 for five in the 13th over.

But Turner and skipper Ben Green plundered 41 from 20 balls to break the back of the chase and Turner sealed victory with 14 deliveries to spare. His 57 off 28 balls included six fours and three sixes and was his second in this season’s competition. 

For Sussex it was a familiar tale of missed opportunity. Their openers have put on 98, 67 and 98 in three of their last four games and lost them all.

Against Hampshire on Tuesday, they lost 9 for 55 in ten overs and this time it was ten for 84 in 11.3 as they were dismissed in 19.5 overs.

Ward hit five sixes on his way to a career-best 69 as he and Hughes progressed without any alarms.

But when left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis had Ward caught trying to clear long off the innings plunged into a familiar tailspin.

Trevaskis and off-spinner Turner dried up scoring opportunities and whenever Sussex tried to up the tempo they lost wickets.

Turner had Hughes caught at long on for 25 and Trevaskis chipped in with 2 for 27 to help fillet the middle order.

Leicestershire’s fielding had been faultless until the 18th over when Tom Scriven put down Tom Alsop at deep mid-wicket and Alsop, who had just lofted Josh Davey onto the roof of the scoreboard for the first six for ten overs, helped Tom Price put on a valuable 34 from 19 deliveries before another collapse saw the last four wickets go down in six balls.

For the second game running Sussex had not batted through their 20 overs and Leicestershire always had the chase under control.

Left-armer Sean Hunt picked up two wickets on his T20 debut but also bowled five wides and two no balls on another disappointing night for the hosts.