Jacks, Philippe fire as Surrey keep Sussex in doldrums

Will Jacks launches one Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Surrey 175 for 3 (Jacks 70*, Philippe 52) beat Sussex 171 (Ward 49, Hughes 45, Topley 3-16) by seven wickets

Surrey's inconsistent Vitality Blast season received a major boost at Hove when they thumped Sussex by seven wickets wickets with 4.3 overs to spare.

Surrey must have thought they would be facing a chase well in excess of 200 when Sussex surged to 92 without loss in seven overs. But Sussex failed to double their score from that position, losing ten wickets for 77 runs as bowlers Dan Lawrence and Tom Lawes put a stranglehold on the home team.

That left Surrey needing just 172 for victory and Will Jacks, with memories of his century here last season, and Australian Josh Philippe, making his first appearance for the club, led the way with a century stand for the second wicket, each scoring fifty from 25 deliveries.

After the early loss of Jason Roy, Surrey raced to 124 for 1 at the halfway stage. Philippe fell for 52 but Jacks, with an unbeaten 70 off 39 balls, saw Surrey comfortably home in the company of Lawrence with 27 balls remaining.

Sussex had chosen to bat and made a great start to their innings, striking 80 without loss off the six-over powerplay. Dan Hughes, Sussex's leading scorer in the competition this season, was matched by opening partner Harrison Ward, fresh from a 41-ball century for the second team at Horsham in midweek.

When Surrey captain Sam Curran came on to bowl the last over of the powerplay Ward hit him for 4-6-4-6-dot-4, the first six flying over square-leg and out of the ground. But from 94 without loss in the eighth over Sussex lost quick wickets as Lawrence and Lawes brought some control back to the Surrey attack.

Ward was first to go, lbw to Lawrence whose opening over cost just two runs. Ward's 29-ball 49 included seven fours and two sixes. And in the next over Hughes drove Lawes straight to Chris Jordan at extra-cover for a 19-ball 45, with six fours and two sixes.

James Coles, playing probably his last Vitality Blast game for Sussex before joining England's T20 squad, had scored just 2 when he lifted Lawes to Jordan at long-on. In the next over Oli Carter was bowled by Lawes for another 2 and when John Simpson swung Lawes straight into the hands of Lawrence at deep midwicket Sussex were suddenly 122 for 5 and had lost five wickets in as many overs for just 28 runs.

At that stage Sussex, with a long tail, relied on Tom Alsop, and he played well for 31 before clipping Reece Topley to fine leg.

Unusually, Lawrence and Lawes bowled out their full allocation in one spell, and in tandem, taking the first five wickets and turning the game.

Twenty20 Cup (England)

Central & West Group
TeamMWLPTNRR
NOR550201.752
GLO642160.423
GLA52380.291
WAR6248-0.179
SOM6248-0.792
WOR6248-1.243
Cross Pool
TeamMWLPTNRR
NOR22083.425
GLA22080.777
NOT22080.496
SUR11042.95
GLO11042.8
SOM11041.896
WOR11040.9
LEI21140.117
HAM2114-0.674
ESS2114-3.04
WAR1010-0.26
DUR1010-0.35
DER1010-0.452
KEN1010-0.818
SUS1010-1.239
MID1010-1.436
LAN2020-1.5
YOR2020-1.564
North Group
TeamMWLPTNRR
YOR541161.925
LAN53212-0.516
DER52380.847
DUR5238-0.362
NOT5238-0.628
LEI5238-1.401
South Group
TeamMWLPTNRR
HAM550201.377
ESS532120.565
SUR633120.372
KEN633120.121
SUS6246-0.514
MID6154-1.556