Ramprakash shines in Surrey stroll
Mark Ramprakash goes on the offensive during his sparkling innings of 102, which helped Surrey to a comfortable victory
A 17th one-day century by Mark Ramprakash helped Surrey record a 79-run win over Sussex in the Friends Provident Trophy Group C clash at the Brit Oval.
A rain-hit game was cut to 39 overs per side after two brief but heavy showers during Surrey’s innings, but the interruptions failed to prevent the relentless march of Ramprakash to his third Trophy ton of the summer and his third in one-day cricket against the Sharks.
Ramprakash featured in stands of 75 with Michael Brown (33) and 89 with Usman Afzaal (28) and remained the brightest star on show in racing to his century from only 92 balls with five fours and as many sixes.
He was eventually run out for 102 by Matt Spriegel’s suicidal call for a single, but by then Surrey were already well on their way to a decent total of 241 for seven scored at just over a run a ball.
Sussex, already assured of their place in the quarter-finals, elected to rest captain Michael Yardy, Robin Martin-Jenkins, Luke Wright and James Kirtley, and their makeshift side duly went down without a whimper to lose with nine overs remaining.
They made the worst of starts, losing acting captain Ed Joyce to the fourth ball of the reply when the left-hander clipped a catch to midwicket in the first over, bowled by Andre Nel.
Joe Gatting (37) and Chris Nash (26) mounted a partial recovery with a second-wicket stand worth 58 in 10 overs.
However, their alliance was ended when Nash was lbw aiming to sweep leg-spinner Chris Schofield.
Two overs later the promising Gatting toe-ended his attempted sweep against the same bowler to pick out Grant Elliott on the ropes at long-leg - and with him went Sussex’s victory chances.
They lost their last nine wickets for 102 runs in the space of 19 overs as Schofield finished with 5-32 to give Surrey their third win of a failed qualifying campaign.
Chris Schofield leads Surrey from the field at the Brit Oval following his impressive five-wicket haul
