Saturday 27 June 2015 10:06, UK
Luke Wright scored a sensational unbeaten century to lead Sussex to an amazing three wicket-win over Gloucestershire in their NatWest T20 Blast clash at Bristol.
With only two overs left, Sussex still needed 43 to overhaul Gloucestershire’s 185-4, but the visitors then hit 34 runs from the 19th over.
Wright smashed four sixes off the over, the final one coming after bowler James Fuller had been ordered out of the attack for a pair of no-balled full tosses, meaning Craig Miles had to bowl the last delivery.
That left nine to win from the final over and Wright hit two more boundaries off Jack Taylor as Sussex got home with a ball to spare.
Wright, who has played 51 T20 internationals for England, finished unbeaten on 111 off 56 balls, having hit seven fours and eight sixes.
Earlier, Michael Klinger (61) had taken his NatWest T20 Blast run tally for the season to 518 in just seven innings, as Gloucestershire posted what had looked likely to be a winning score.
Elsewhere in the South Group, Somerset remained in contention to qualify as Jim Allenby’s unbeaten 89 helped them to thrash Middlesex by nine wickets at Uxbridge.
Middlesex had totalled 171-7, John Simpson hitting a career-best 84 not out from 51 balls.
However, that score was made to look moderate by Somerset openers Allenby and Johann Myburgh (53 not out from 45 balls), who put on 118 in 13.2 overs, before Peter Trego (28 not out off 12 balls) helped to finish things off.
New Zealander Jesse Ryder’s first century in the competition proved the key as Essex romped to a 78-run victory over Hampshire at Chelmsford.
Ryder’s fantastic 107 not out came from just 55 deliveries and included eight sixes, the last of which brought up his century, and the hosts finished with 212-5.
Their other batting hero was Mark Pettini (74 off 45 balls) who added 126 in 14 overs with opening partner Ryder before he was brilliantly caught at deep mid-wicket by a diving Gareth Berg.
Hampshire then slumped to 21-3, as they lost three wickets in the first three overs, and Owais Shah’s fightback ended when he was magnificently caught by a diving Ryan ten Doeschate at wide mid-on for 26.
Reece Topley (3-25) and Ravi Bopara (3-23) finished with six wickets between them as Hampshire were dismissed for 134, and Essex have moved level with Kent at the top of the South Group table.
Surrey, who are bottom of the group, put a dent in Glamorgan’s chance of qualifying for the quarter finals with a 19-run win at the SWALEC Stadium.
Jason Roy made 61 for Surrey but they slumped to a final total of 146-8 from 104-1 as veteran Glamorgan spinner Dean Cosker took career best T20 figures of 4-25.
Opener Craig Meschede then made 31 for Glamorgan but they lost four wickets for five runs as they collapsed from 41-1 to 46-5.
They were eventually dismissed for 127, Azhar Mahmood taking 3-14 and Sam Curran finishing with 3-17.
