Match Details
Then they lost two more wickets inside the powerplay as Gloucestershire were reduced to 15/3 in the fifth over. James Bracey (5 off 6) and Ian Cockbain (5 off 11) both were out cheaply as the batting side were under tremendous pressure inside the powerplay.
It was Glenn Phillips who stood tall and held an end up as he slowly brought up his 'A' game. He first had a small partnership with Ryan Higgins (13 off 14) for the fourth wicket but after the latter's fall he was joined hands with skipper Jack Taylor. The duo added a big partnership for the fifth wicket. This 98-run stand was broken by Obed McCoy as Phillips chopped on a length ball. Before getting out, Phillips smashed the Sussex bowlers all over the Hove ground as he scored 66 off 53 balls, including 8-fours and 2-sixes.
Arya- It could have been a tricky chase for Sussex only if they lost early wickets and it was exactly what happened in the very first over. David Payne, the left-arm pacer started brilliantly as he angled one back from a good length and rapped Tim Seifert right in front. The ball swung late and Seifert was in no man’s land and couldn’t quite take get his bat down in time. Tom Alsop joined Ravi Bopara in the middle to resurrect the run-chase after the early wicket.
Alsop started of brilliantly and played some exceptional shots to get his side going in the powerplay. Bopara played the second fiddle, while Alsop raced off during the powerplay which ensured that Sussex reached 49 in less than 5 overs. Bopara also tried to join in the fun and was holed out in the deep by Ryan Higgins. Zak Chappell bagged the wicket but the required rate was well within the grasp and they needed to just bat sensibly to get close to the victory target.
Hudson-Prentice joined Alsop in the middle and played the second fiddle as Alsop started taking on the bowlers after batting sensibly for a while. It was a great effort from the left-hander who played all-around the wicket and got able support from Hudson-Prentice who ensured that he remained there at the other end. Alsop started finding the fours and the sixes once he presumed that the victory target was within touching distance.
He smashed 8 fours and 5 sixes during his knock of 82 of just 52 deliveries and almost sealed the game for Sussex. However, there was a flurry of wickets towards the fag end of the run-chase. Tom Smith bagged both the set batters Hudson-Prentice and Alsop in the same over which gave them some hope. Zak Chappell got one more in the very next over as Harrison Ward went for the pull only to under edge that straight to the keeper. However the match was still in Sussex's grasp and Gloucestershire needed something miraculous to harbour hopes of winning that one.
Oliver Carter was the 6th man to go as he tried to steer one back of a length delivery a tad outside off down the third man region but ended up feathering that straight to the keeper. Tymal Mills was the next man in, he just needed to bat sensibly but he didn't show the composure that his team needed at that point. Benny Howell was the man who bagged his wicket to reduce them to 130/7.
Delray Rawlins and Obed McCoy were the next to go as all the batters kept swinging hard and kept missing. They just needed some sensibility out in the middle but it was missing. McCoy swung at a slower delivery from Zak Chappell and lost his stumps in the process. David Payne finished the match for Gloucestershire as he bowled an off-pace delivery on the surface and Steven Finn was way too early into the shot as he swiped across the line.