Sussex Sharks snatch last gasp win over Surrey in opening T20 game

Luke Wright said he hopes Sussex can build on the momentum after a dramatic last-ball victory over Surrey on Friday (May 16).

Speaking to Latest TV after the game, the England international said the close victory in the opening T20 game of the season was a big boost.

With thousands filling the County Ground in Hove, Wright also said he was looking forward to more Friday night games in the competition.

Wright, who was selected man of the match, said: “That’s what Twenty20 is about, obviously we want see a big crowd and get as many people in as possible.

“There’s no better advert then seeing it going down to the last ball.

“We lost a lot of those games last year and there was a bit of hurt in the changing room so to get over the line was obviously pretty exciting.”

Surrey started slowly but hit the last nine overs for 99 to leave Sussex needing 172 to win from their 20 overs. Asher Zaidi was the pick of the Sussex bowlers taking three wickets on his T20 debut for the Sharks.

Throughout the Sussex innings, it always felt that they were playing catch-up and never had the game within their grasp.

Man of the Match Wright smashed 56 from 31 balls to give the Sharks a chance going into the final overs, he was helped by Rory Hamilton-Brown’s timely 30.

Surrey looked to be on course for victory when Jade Dernbach dismissed Chris Jordan with four balls to go and Sussex needing 15 more to win.

But Ben Brown smashed a six and then, after scampering a single, Arafat hit the first two balls he faced to the boundary to send the crowd wild and prompt the Sussex players to charge the field in glory.

Match winner Arafat said: “It’s a great victory for Sussex, the whole team.

“Last year we only managed to win one game [in the whole tournament] so this is a good start.”