Essex Men travel to the south coast on Friday night to face the Sharks as they continue their pursuit of a Vitality Blast quarter-final place.
Having suffered a seven-run defeat to Surrey at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground in the last round, Chris Silverwood's men will be looking to make an immediate response against the Sharks as the Vitality Blast group stage enters its final weeks.
Essex sit fourth in the South Group on 16 points, level with third-placed Kent Spitfires and four points behind Surrey in second. Hampshire Hawks lead the way, eight points clear of the Eagles, while Sussex Sharks are fifth on six points.
On Wednesday evening, Surrey posted 240 for four thanks to half-centuries from Jason Roy, Josh Phillippe and Ollie Pope, with Matt Critchley claiming two wickets for Essex.
The Eagles responded brilliantly, led by a stunning 78 from just 30 balls by Paul Walter, whose explosive innings kept the chase firmly alive. Walter's knock was the second fastest half-century in the Blast for Essex since Dan Sam's 50 from 17 against Sussex Sharks in 2022. Essex brilliantly raced to 95 in the powerplay before Surrey fought back through former Eagle Dan Lawrence and Reece Topley.
A late partnership between Shane Snater and Zum Akhter ensured Essex remained in contention until the closing stages, but Simon Harmer's side ultimately fell just seven runs short in a remarkable contest that produced the third-highest aggregate score in Vitality Blast history (473 runs).
Chris Silverwood has named a 15-player squad for the trip to the south coast, with Essex Men's vice-captain Sam Cook returning to the squad for the first time since sustaining a fractured wrist in training.
Jordan Cox is unavailable due to his selection for the England Men's T20 squad.
Captain: Tymal Mills
Overseas: Daniel Hughes (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: Six (2007, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024)
Titles: One (2009)
2025 finish: 6th in South Division
2025 leading run-scorer: James Coles (397)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Nathan McAndrew (23)
Winter moves: The competition’s all-time leading wicket-taker Danny Briggs has returned to Hove and his experience will be crucial while two other recruits – former Gloucestershire all-rounder Tom Price and off-spinning batter Jack Leaning – have good records in the Blast.
The big question: Sussex’s bowling options look plentiful and varied despite the departure of last season’s leading wicket-taker Nathan McAndrew. But there were question marks around the batting in 2025 with too much reliance placed on James Coles with no one else averaging above 27. A collective improvement in that area is needed.
Wildcard watch: Charlie Tear came of age in the 50-over tournament last year and the keeper-batter might get an extended opportunity this summer to show he has the transferable skills to flourish in the shorter white-ball format.
Final thought: This is Sussex’s best chance of silverware. They have a squad with a lot of experience – Mills and Briggs in particular – as well as some seriously talented youngsters, like the £390k Hundred pick James Coles, who are potential match-winners in their own right. A better collective batting effort than 2025 should enable them to make the knockout stages as a bare minimum, although director of cricket Paul Farbrace is targeting a third appearance at Finals Day in six years.
Essex opened their Vitality Blast campaign with a six-wicket defeat to Sussex Sharks at Chelmsford despite an impressive opening partnership between Michael Pepper and Paul Walter.
Asked to bat first, Essex posted 191 for five after Pepper (53) and Walter (53) shared a 105-run stand at the top of the order. Luc Benkenstein then provided late impetus with a quickfire 36 from 18 balls, including four sixes, to lift the hosts to a competitive total.
Sussex made a strong start in reply through Daniel Hughes' 44 before wicketkeeper John Simpson produced a match-winning innings of 63 from just 23 deliveries, striking eight sixes to take the game away from Essex. James Coles added an unbeaten half-century as the visitors reached their target with four overs to spare.
Despite positives with the bat, Essex were unable to contain Sussex's powerful batting display and will look to bounce back in their next Vitality Blast fixture.
Previous Team Lineups
Essex: Paul Walter, Michael Pepper (WK), Matt Critchley, Luc Benkenstein, Wiaan Mulder, Noah Thain, Simon Harmer (C), Simon Fernandes, Shane Snater, Zum Akhter, Charlie Bennett.
Sussex: Dan Hughes, Tom Clark, James Coles, John Simpson (WK), Tom Alsop, Jack Leaning, Danny Lamb, Danny Briggs, Henry Crocombe, Tymal Mills (C), Brad Currie.
HIGHLIGHTS
Click here for the tournament preview. This gives you an in-depth breakdown into each team the Essex Men will face in the 2026 Vitality T20 Blast campaign: Derbyshire Falcons, Hampshire Hawks, Kent Spitfires, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Surrey, and Sussex Sharks.
Click here for our Spectator Guide, which contains everything you need to know before your visit to the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground. From matchday information and food & drink options to the Essex Cricket Store, a ground map, FAQs and more, you'll find all the essential information in one place.
If you are unable to attend this match, the game will be available to watch via the Sussex Cricket live stream on YouTube. Alternatively, you can keep up to date with the game via our social media channels as we provide live updates.
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Match highlights will be available after each day's play via the Club website and social media.
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