Essex Eagles v Sussex Sharks
Vitality Blast (South Group)
The Cloudfm County Ground, Sunday 20 September
Team News:
Essex Eagles: Cameron Delport, Tom Westley, Dan Lawrence, Michael Pepper (wk), Ryan ten Doeschate, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (c), Matt Quinn, Jack Plom, Aron Nijjar, Sam Cook.
Sussex Sharks: Phil Salt (wk), Luke Wright (c), Delray Rawlins, Ravi Bopara, David Wiese, Calum MacLeod, George Garton, Ollie Robinson, Danny Briggs, Mitch Claydon, Tymal Mills.
Match Details:
Umpires: Rob Bailey & Ben Debenham
Match Referee: Steve Davis
Toss: Sussex Sharks who elected to bowl
Result: Sussex Sharks won by 4 wickets
Match Reaction: Paul Walter:
Match Report:
Despite the heroics of Paul Walter, Essex’s disappointing Vitality Blast campaign came to an end when they suffered a 4 wickets defeat against Sussex at Chelmsford.
Walter smashed 76 from just 45 balls as Essex posted a total of 136 for nine, a total that was passed by the visitor’s with 10 balls to spare to send them into the quarter-finals.
Essex’s failure to make progress in a competition they won last season was a big blow but at least they made a fight of it in attempting to defend such a modest total.
They fielded a much weakened side ahead of Wednesday’s Bob Willis Trophy final clash against Somerset at Lords, and Jack Plom and debutant Ben Allison took early wickets as Sussex struggled to 59 for five.
But George Garton and Calum MacLeod put together a partnership of 73 as Sussex were able to celebrate a home tie in the quarter-finals.
Garton had earlier taken 4-21 from his four overs as the Essex batsmen struggled.
The only exception was Walter who has proved himself the find of the season with his performances either as opener or in the middle order.
On this occasion he found himself coming in at number 5 and the first three wickets had gone down for 18 after a young Eagles side with Feroze Khushi and Robin Das also debutants, had been put into bat.
His response was to take the fight to Sussex with a succession of powerful strokes either side of the wicket.
His reward was nine fours and three sixes before he departed in the final over of the innings.
None of his colleagues managed to get beyond 15 in a duel in which Garton removed Cameron Delport and Feroze Khushi in the first over without a run on the board.
Of the Essex bowlers Shane Snater and Plom took 2 for 22 and 2 for 28 respectively from three overs each, but it was off-spinner Simon Harmer who proved the most economical with one for 18 from his allocation of four overs.
