Wright edges Sussex to victory at Cardiff

Sussex 144 for 7 beat Glamorgan 143 for 6 by three wickets
Scorecard

Defending Twenty20 champions Sussex preserved their 100 per cent record to win the South Group top of the table clash against previously unbeaten Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium.

In an enthralling contest of twists and turns Glamorgan won the toss and made a competitive 143 for 6 in their 20 overs on a Cardiff pitch that had been used for two previous Friends Provident t20 matches. But on the slow surface Sussex reached their target by three wickets with seven balls to spare.

The key moment came in the 18th over when Chris Nash took the pressure off the Sussex chase by pulling fast bowler Shaun Tait over midwicket for six. Nash, who made 28 from 18 balls, was out five balls later but Sussex's fifth win from five outings was assured.

Sussex did not make the best of starts, slipping to 46 for 4. Matt Prior was bowled behind his legs by James Allenby, Murray Goodwin was well caught by Gareth Rees at square leg, Brendon McCullum was caught sweeping and Michael Yardy got snaffled at short extra cover.

But Luke Wright, with two sixes off James Harris, put some impetus in to the Sussex innings in a 43-run partnership with Andrew Hodd. Though Wright and Hodd were dismissed in consecutive Robert Croft overs they had enough batting left to see them home.

From the start Glamorgan found setting a competitive total quite hard. Their most effective batsmen were Tom Maynard and Rees who were joint top-scorers with 35. Glamorgan made a steady start before James Kirtley claimed both openers - Cosgrove and James Allenby - in the space of four balls in the fifth over.

Maynard claimed the only sixes of the Glamorgan innings - hitting slow left armer Yardy straight back over his head to bring up the 50 and then putting off-spinner Nash over long-off. But Nash had his revenge taking two wickets in the space of two overs. First he dismissed Jamie Dalrymple before having Maynard caught at deep midwicket by Joe Gating.

From 76 for 4 Rees and David Brown put on a useful 46 in five overs before they were both run out, but the Glamorgan effort was given some late impetus by Mark Wallace.