Amir amongst the wickets as Essex shock Sussex

Essex Eagles 168/5 (20.0 overs)
Sussex Sharks 159/9 (20.0 overs)
Sussex Sharks won the toss and elected to bowl – Essex won by 9 runs

Mohammad Amir took four wickets as Essex Eagles kept their faint hopes of Vitality Blast South Group qualification alive with a 9 run success over Sussex Sharks at Hove.

Amir claimed 4/29 as the group-topping hosts came up short for only the second time during this particular campaign. David Wiese had handed Sussex the initiative, hitting 66 off 37 balls. However, his dismissal – trapped lbw by skipper Simon Harmer – signalled a sizable derailment

Earlier, Essex – who had won only two of their ten Blast matches to date – had posted a modest 168/5. Dan Lawrence celebrated the signing of a contract extension with an unbeaten 59, while Ravi Bopara chipped in with 45 – Will Beer and Reece Topley each taking two wickets.

But this was to be a rare Essex success in this form of the game, moving them up to seventh in the table. 

Admittedly, it will take a mammoth effort from the Eagles to qualify after what up to now has been a hugely disappointing T20 campaign. They will be looking to build on this result when they take on Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, on Sunday, August 25 (2:30pm).

Sussex Sharks: Philip Salt, Luke Wright (Capt), Laurie Evans, Alex Carey (WK), David Wiese, Harry Finch, Chris Jordan, Will Beer, Danny Briggs, Jason Behrendorff, Reece Topley.

Essex Eagles: Tom Westley, Cameron Delport, Adam Wheater (WK), Dan Lawrence, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ravi Bopara, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (Capt), Mohammad Amir, Aaron Beard, Adam Zampa.

Umpires: Robert Bailey, Alexander Wharf and Jeffrey Evans.