Friends Life T20, Hove
Lancashire Lightning beat Sussex Sharks by 20 runs
By Jack Bradshaw
Sussex crashed out of the Friends Life T20, as Lancashire became the final team to book their place at finals day with a 20-run victory at Hove.
At the halfway stage, the Sharks had looked on course to reach finals day at Edgbaston after restricting the visitors to 152-8 from their 20 overs.
Ollie Rayner removed Stephen Moore with the second ball of the game before Karl Brown (44) and Paul Horton (49*) steered Lancashire to a respectable total.
South African paceman Wayne Parnell took two wickets late on to give Sussex the momentum going into their innings.
But their run chase got off to the worst possible start as Lou Vincent and Ben Brown both fell early, before Ed Joyce was run out, leaving the hosts struggling on 31-3.
Chris Nash (31) and skipper Michael Yardy (24) led the fight back before Rana Naved hit a quick-fire 34 late on.
But it was to be in vain as Sussex fell 21 runs short of their target.
Sussex can now concentrate on the County Championship and the Clydesdale Bank 40, in which they comfortably sit atop Group A.
