That's it from our coverage of this fixture between Essex and Sussex from the T20 Blast competition. Ninaad Dixit and Manish Bishnoi signing off. Stay tuned for more action from around the world.
2:05 AM IST, 9:35 PM Local Time: Sussex win a T20 encounter against Essex for the first time after July 2021 as they defeat the Eagles by 8 wickets in the South Group T20 Blast fixture at Chelmsford.
Sussex won the toss, elected to field and restricted the hosts to a chaseable 178/9 with Nathan McAndrew taking 3/33 with James Coles, Ollie Robinson, Tymal Mills and Jack Carson joining him in the wicket taking party.
The chase began on a promising note for the visitors as the opening pair of Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes smashed the bowlers all over the park to add 99 runs for the opening wicket in 6.5 overs.
The 6th over delivered by Daniel Sams saw Hughes score 32 runs in it. Ward top scored with 68 in 36 balls with 8 fours and 3 maximums. Hughes had 47 on the board in just 18 balls with 5 fours and 4 biggies but was dismissed by Matt Critchley in the 11th over.
John Simpson scored 45 in 28 and had James Coles (18* off 12) for company when the duo finished the game off in the 16th over. For Essex, Ben Allison held the fort with 1/31, Critchley got a wicket as well but conceded 29 in his 2 overs.
Essex will now face Hampshire next Thursday at home with Sussex facing Surrey in the next few hours at Hove.
15.4 L Benkenstein to J Simpson
4 FOUR RUNS! It's all over! Short of a length googly outside the off stump. Pulled off the backfoot into the midwicket boundary! An 8-wicket win for the Sussex Sharks.
15.3 L Benkenstein to J Simpson
6 SIX RUNS! Smashed outside the ground! 52.5 mph. Tossed up delivery outside the off stump. Simpson advances down the pitch and hammers it up and over the mid off boundary! A big big hit coming off the meat of the bat.
15.2 L Benkenstein to J Simpson
0 Yorker outside the leg stump. Simpson makes some room to flick and gets a leading edge in the off side.
15.1 L Benkenstein to J Coles
1 Over the wicket. Short on the pads. Mistimes the pull towards long on for a single.