Match overview
Surrey beat Sussex by 7 runs in the T20 Blast at the County Ground on 18 July 2025. Batting first after winning the toss, Surrey posted 204/5, a total built on a blistering powerplay of 65 runs without loss and sustained pressure through the middle overs. Sussex responded with genuine intent, scoring 105 runs for just one wicket in the middle phase, but the death overs proved their undoing: five wickets fell as they chased 49 from the final stage, leaving them stranded on 197/7.
The margin of 7 runs was tight but the match had a sense of inevitability about it once the death overs arrived. Surrey's bowlers held their nerve where it mattered most, and the result extended their head-to-head dominance over Sussex to 12 wins from 22 meetings. Sussex, who had lost four of their previous five Blast fixtures, came closer than the recent form line suggested they would.
Venue and conditions
The County Ground has hosted 415 T20 matches and tends to offer a fair contest between bat and ball. The average first-innings score is 174 and the average second-innings score 158, meaning both teams in this fixture batted well above par. Surrey's 204/5 was 30 runs ahead of the ground average; Sussex's 197/7 was nearly 40 runs above the typical second-innings return.
The toss is often decisive at this ground: captains have chosen to field 70% of the time when winning the toss, presumably because dew and surface wear factor into evening chases. Surrey went against that pattern by batting first, and their powerplay of 65 runs without loss vindicated the decision. The average powerplay score at this venue is 51, so Surrey's openers gained a meaningful advantage in those first six overs.
The death overs tell a clear story. The venue averages 41 runs in the final phase. Surrey scored 54 in their death overs but lost four wickets; Sussex scored 49 and lost five. In a match of fine margins, those late wickets proved the difference.
How to watch
Vitality Blast matches are broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket in the UK, with streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers. Highlights are also regularly published on the ECB's official platforms and the Blast's own digital channels. For fans outside a Sky subscription, NOW TV's day passes offer the most flexible route to live coverage.
Recent form
Surrey came into this match having won four consecutive Blast fixtures in 2025, beating Middlesex, Somerset, Glamorgan, and Gloucestershire before suffering a single loss to Essex. That run placed them amongst the competition's in-form sides and the Sussex fixture carried the weight of momentum behind it.
Sussex's recent form made for harder reading. They had won just one of their last five Blast matches in 2025, beating Gloucestershire before defeats to Hampshire, Essex, Kent, and Hampshire again. For a side with capable T20 performers, including bowlers like BW Sanderson, who took 6 wickets for 8 runs from 4 overs earlier in this same season, and Naveen-ul-Haq, the batting collapse in the death overs was the key story. Surrey's next Blast fixture will offer another chance to consolidate their position in the group; Sussex will need to address their end-overs fragility if they are to stay in contention.