Sussex Sharks v Essex | Essex v Surrey
Vitality Blast
The 1st Central County Ground, Hove | The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
Saturday 13 July, 2:30pm | Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm
A skilful display of death bowling handed Essex a 22-run win over Kent on Thursday that not only gave the Eagles a big morale boost, but also provided two more priceless points in the quarter-final race.
In a match that saw Sam Cook return to the Essex line-up, Paul Walter top-scored with an unbeaten 27-ball 46 as the hosts racked up 187-3.
Cook and Walter then strangled the Spitfires in the late stages of their chase, combining for figures of 1/50 from eight overs as the visitors struggled from 95-1 after ten to finish on 165-5.
Now, Anthony McGrath’s side face a stern double test over the weekend with a Saturday outing to second-placed Sussex Sharks before table-topping Surrey visit The Cloud County Ground on Sunday.
Squad
Head Coach McGrath has named an unchanged 14-strong group for the first of the weekend’s fixtures in Hove.
The Opposition: Sussex Sharks
Sussex have soared in this year’s Blast so far, winning seven of ten games to be in second place as the group stage reaches its climax.
The Sharks are just two points behind group leaders Surrey, and have won three of their last four games, including back-to-back El Clasicoast wins over neighbours Hampshire Hawks.
Their good form is a welcome change from the last two years, where the Sharks, who have won this competition once in the past – in 2009 – were eliminated in the group stage on both occasions.
Australian opener Daniel Hughes leads the way with the bat, having struck 354 runs at 35.40, while captain Tymal Mills is one of the most in-form bowlers around with 20 wickets taken at 15.00 apiece.
Sussex Sharks squad: Tymal Mills*, Tom Alsop, Jack Carson, Tom Clark, James Coles, Henry Crocombe, Brad Currie, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Daniel Hughes, Danny Lamb, Archie Lenham, Nathan McAndrew, Ollie Robinson, John Simpson, Harrison Ward.
Last Time We Met: Sussex Sharks
Sussex claimed an ultimately comfortable eight-wicket win the last time the sides met at The Cloud County Ground just under a month ago.
Put in to bat, Essex could only muster a below-par 178-9, despite Dean Elgar’s 39-ball 54 and a quick 12 off seven from Luc Benkenstein, as Nathan McAndrew returned 3/33 from four overs.
In response, Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes raced out of the blocks with an opening stand of 99 in just 6.5 overs, setting the Sharks up to overhaul the target with ease.
They did so a little under nine overs later, as Ward struck 68 off 36 and Hughes hammered 47 off 18, teeing up an unbeaten 45 off 28 from John Simpson that got the visitors over the line.
The Opposition: Surrey
Much like Division One of the Vitality County Championship, Surrey have dominated the shortest-format competition too, with last season’s semi-finalists sitting top of the tree with 16 points.
The Brown Caps have lost just one game from ten so far this season, with their only conquerors being Sussex in what was a top-of-the-table clash at the Kia Oval a month ago.
Since then, the 2003 champions have swept aside all comers and have the South Group in their grasp as they aim for a third Finals Day in five years.
Jamie Smith, who has been called up for an England Test debut, is their leading run-scorer with 285 at 40.71, while Australian overseas Sean Abbott claimed 15 wickets in eight games before he departed.
Surrey squad: Chris Jordan*, Rory Burns, Dan Worrall, Cameron Steel, Dom Sibley, Ben Geddes, Ryan Patel, Will Jacks, Laurie Evans, Jordan Clark, Tom Lawes, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton
Last Time We Met: Surrey
Having opted to chase in the final group stage game of the 2023 tournament at the Kia Oval last July, Essex were set 196 to win as Sunil Narine top-scored with 78 from 38 and six wickets were evenly split.
Michael Pepper’s 75 got Essex off to a flying start at 140-2 after 11.3 overs, but a mid-innings stumble meant that eight runs were still required by the time Sean Abbott came to bowl the last over.
Five singles were traded off the first five, meaning that Khushi had the task of hitting at least three off the last ball to keep alive the Eagles’ hopes of knockout stage progression.
Khushi hoisted a wide yorker towards Chris Jordan at deep midwicket, who, despite holding on, was unable to halt the momentum that carried him over the rope, confirming six and an Essex win.
South Group Table
How To Watch
If you are not able to attend either or both matches, each will be live-streamed – on hosts Sussex’s YouTube channel on Saturday afternoon, and then on the usual EssexCricketTV channel on Sunday with both available through the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
A report will be published on the Club website at the conclusion of each game, while live updates and highlights from both will be provided on the Essex Cricket social media channels.
Tickets
Hosts Sussex have confirmed that Saturday’s fixture is sold out.
However, there is still limited availability for Sunday’s match, with prices starting at £33 for adults, £28 for young adults and students, and £10 for juniors.
The Kenton Group Stand at the Graham Gooch End of the ground is the designated family stand for this year’s Vitality Blast, with blocks 27-29 being alcohol-free and blocks 30 & 31 being the alcohol-tolerant family area.
Tickets for the visit of Surrey can be purchased by clicking this link:
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
There is now just one final chance to catch Essex in home Vitality Blast South Group action in 2024.
With the Eagles firmly in contention for another knockout match as the group stage reaches its climax, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.
As the 2023 runners-up continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here
