In a thrilling match that saw Sussex Sharks come close to a miraculous comeback, it was Matt Salisbury who sealed the deal for Leicestershire as they clinched a ten-run victory over the home team at Hove. This victory marked Leicestershire’s third win out of four in this year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
The day started with Leicestershire posting a formidable total of 363 for 7, thanks to stellar performances from Peter Handscomb (119), Sol Budinger (84), Ajinkya Rahane (68), and Ian Holland (65). Sussex, who had struggled in their previous matches, knew they had a tough task ahead of them.
Despite being 196 for four in the 35th over, Sussex mounted an incredible fightback, courtesy of Tom Haines’ brilliant 129 and John Simpson’s 85. The duo put on a spectacular 131-run partnership, bringing Sussex back into the game. Even after Haines and Tom Clark (72) had given Sussex a solid start with a 120-run opening stand, it seemed like Leicestershire had the upper hand.
But Haines and Simpson had other plans. Haines smashed Liam Trevaskis for back-to-back sixes en route to his second List A century, while Simpson played a whirlwind knock scoring at a strike rate of 166.66. The Sussex batsmen kept the chase alive, but ultimately fell short as Simpson was dismissed in the penultimate over with Sussex still needing 20 off six balls.
Leicestershire’s decision to bat first paid off as their opening pair of Holland and Budinger set the tone with a 129-run stand. Budinger continued his good form in the competition, notching up another fifty. Handscomb and Rahane then took charge, exploiting the short boundary on one side of the ground.
The Sussex bowlers, apart from Hudson-Prentice and Carson, struggled to contain the Leicestershire batsmen. Clark’s solitary over went for 22 runs as Handscomb went on a rampage, hitting boundaries at will. Despite some late heroics from Sussex, Leicestershire managed to hold their nerve and emerge victorious in a high-scoring contest.
In the end, it was a day to remember for Leicestershire, as they showed their class with the bat and ball to overcome a spirited Sussex side. Matt Salisbury’s heroics in the final over ensured that Leicestershire maintained their winning streak in the tournament.
