About the Match
Surrey registered two consecutive wins before their previous game was washed away by rain; they are placed 3rd on the table in the South Group with 10 points and will take on Sussex, which is at the bottom of the table with only 6 points, on 3rd August at Hove. Sussex lost its previous match against Somerset by 32 runs D/L method and the one before was tied with Kent. Surrey, on the other hand, had two of its last games abandoned due to rain and will be determined to win this match on Thursday.
Sussex
The batting line-up has experienced players like Stiaan van Zyl, who posted a well-made 42 off 22 against Somerset recently, Chris Nash, who posted a brilliant half-century against Kent in the previous game, Ross Taylor who can lead from the front, and others like Luke Wright, Evans and all-rounders David Wiese and Chris Jordan.
Against Somerset, they had a tough task of chasing 104 runs in 8 overs after rains reduced the play; they could only muster 71 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Fast-bowlers Garton and Archer had dismissed 3 opponents between them but others like Briggs, Wiese, and Jordan failed to make an impact.
In the match against Kent, the pace attack had done well to regularly remove wickets and restrict the opposition to 176 runs; facing a reduced target of 88 from 8 overs, Nash and Evans did well to take them to a draw but couldn’t win the match. Players like Luke Wright, Ross Taylor and others down the order must pull up their socks and try to give their team a solid foundation whether batting first or during a chase.
Surrey
It has been quite a while since the weather allowed them to play a full match but in the beginning of the tournament, they have registered consecutive wins that keep them safe for now. Against Middlesex, JJ Roy and Aaron Finch had started the innings well with the bat to get them to 156 runs. They got good support from players like Sibley, Pope, and the experienced Sangakkara. The batting unit also has experts like Kevin Pietersen while the Curran brothers in the middle-order can help steady the innings when required.
Fast-bowler Sam Curran claimed 3-28 to keep a check on the Middlesex chase while others like Batty, Meaker, and Dernbach provided consistent breakthroughs, helping them win the match by 15 runs. Previously against Essex, the bowlers had yet again done a good job by successfully defending 150 runs as Meaker, Batty and Tom Curran took 2 wickets each at regular intervals. Pietersen had scored a well-made 52 off 35 in that match while Finch and Roy kept the scoreboard ticking.
Overall, they are a motivated bunch of players with a good mix of young talent and experience; however, they will be seeing action after almost 2 weeks and will surely be cautious against Sussex.
Our Prediction
Sussex is desperate for a win here and can put up a decent fight on Thursday. However, we feel that Surrey with a strong batting outfit that has players like Sangakkara, Pietersen, Finch, and Roy, will come out all guns blazing and have the upper hand to win again.
