Sussex defeat Gloucestershire by 51 runs in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Hove Cricket Ground.
All round show from Delray Rawlins, 91(62) with the bat and 3-50 with the ball ensured Sussex got off the mark in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Half-centuries from newly appointed skipper Chesteshwar Pujara, Rawlins and young Danial Ibrahim ensured Sussex set up a daunting target of 335 for the visitors after being put to bat.
Gloucestershire lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase and were bowled out for 283 in the 45th over.
Harrison Ward and Ali Orr provided Sussex with a solid start before Ward was dismissed in the 9th over as he skied one off the bowling of Paul Van Meekeren. Tom Clark followed suit soon after scoring a mere 8 from 16 deliveries. At the end of the first powerplay, Sussex were 62-1.
Openers Ward and Orr failed to capitalise on their starts and were dismissed for 37 and 35. Van Meekeren was among the wickets again as he got the prized scalp of Tom Alsop, who departed for run a ball 35. Another Sussex batter who failed to convert their start.
Pujara continued his rich vein of form as he reached yet another half-century for Sussex. Pujara forged decent partnerships with Alsop and Delray Rawlins, which helped Sussex get to 200-4 after 35 overs. Pujara was stumped on 63 from 71 balls as he went down the pitch to Tom Smith but completely missed the ball.
Sussex scored at run a ball for the majority of their innings before a flurry from Rawlins and 17-year-old Danial Ibrahim. A 114-run stand between the pair for the sixth wicket enabled Sussex to post a mammoth 334-9 from their 50 overs. Gloucestershire were made to pay for the missed chances in the outfield after they put down both Rawlins and Ibrahim.
Rawlins fell in the final over the innings nine short of a century. He smashed 7x4s and 5x6s to get to 91 from just 62 deliveries. Rawlins was tested with the short delivery early in his innings where he looked uncomfortable before one hit him on the helmet but since then looked at home on the crease.
Ibrahim reached fifty in no time with the help of 5x4s and 2x6s but was dismissed for the exact score of 50(33). The tail failed to make any significant contribution.
Van Meekeren took a fifer and ended with figures of 5-48 from his 10 overs. Smith and Jack Taylor picked up a couple of wickets each.
Gloucestershire looked to attack from the get-go but lost three quick wickets, reducing the away side to 37-3 in the 6th over. Ben Wells and Chris Dent were dismissed cheaply by the new ball bowling duo of Aristides Karvelas and Ollie Robinson. Karvelas then dismissed the Australian international Marcus Harris for a duck.
James Bracey and Oliver Price steadied the ship for Gloucestershire before Rawlins came to the party again as he bold Price for a well-made 43 from 39 balls.
Skipper Jack Taylor and Bracey scored quickly through the middle overs before the skipper was cleaned up by Rawlins in the 23rd over, and Gloucestershire were 146-5 in a spot of bother. Taylor’s innings of 34 from 24 deliveries included 1×4 and 3x6s.
A brilliant partnership between Bracey and Zafar Gohar made it look like the game was slipping away from the hosts before Karvelas was brought back into the attack and got the crucial wicket of in form Bracey who was dismissed for a well compiled 87 from 86 deliveries.
Gohar continued with his exploits with the bat reaching his half-century in 35 balls before the leggie Archie Lenham chipped in with a couple of wickets in quick time to turn the tide completely in favour of the home team. Gohar was dismissed for 53 from 41 deliveries, and Smith was dismissed for 6 from 8 balls. Gloucestershire were struggling at 271-8.
Gloucestershire eventually folded for 283, chasing 335. Karvelas and Rawlins picked three wickets each, and Robinson picked up a couple of wickets for Sussex
