Surrey vs Sussex T20 Blast Recap 2025

Result · Vitality Blast

Final result

Surrey won by 7 runs

Result · Vitality Blast

SUR

Surrey

204/5

defeated

SUS

Sussex

197/7

Venue par · 174Chase success · 52%

Match preview & overview

Surrey hold their nerve to beat Sussex by 7 runs in T20 Blast thriller

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.

Pitch report & venue insights

County Ground — 415-match sample

Aggregate conditions from 2006–2025. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.

415

T20 matches hosted

174

Avg 1st-innings score

158

Avg 2nd-innings score

52%

Chase success rate

Avg powerplay runs

70%

Toss-field rate

Key talking points

Moments the match hinged on

5 angles

Headline angle

Surrey's powerplay set the tone at 65/0

Surrey raced to 65 runs without loss in the first six overs, well clear of the County Ground's average powerplay score of 51. That platform proved decisive: the middle overs added a further 85 runs and Surrey closed on 204/5, thirty runs above the venue's average first-innings total.

Angle 02

Sussex's middle overs blitz nearly rewrote the story

Sussex scored 105 runs for just one wicket in the middle phase of their chase, turning a difficult pursuit into a genuine contest. They needed 49 off the final four overs but lost five wickets in that stretch, finishing on 197/7 and seven short.

Angle 03

Cox's 139* the day before frames Surrey's batting depth

JM Cox had scored 139 not out off 60 balls in the Blast just 24 hours earlier on 17 July 2025. Surrey's ability to generate match-winning totals across consecutive fixtures reflects a batting line-up that can hurt any attack on their day.

Angle 04

Surrey's head-to-head dominance continues

Surrey have won 12 of 22 meetings with Sussex in this fixture, against only 4 wins for Sussex. The last five meetings include three Surrey victories by margins of 48, 54, and 124 runs, making this a rivalry with a clear historical lean.

Angle 05

Surrey arrive on four-match winning run

Before this match, Surrey had won four consecutive Blast fixtures in 2025 against Middlesex, Somerset, Glamorgan, and Gloucestershire. Sussex, by contrast, had lost four of their last five heading into this game.

Key players

Players who decided it

Surrey

JM Cox

Cox scored 139 not out off 60 balls in the Blast on 17 July 2025, the day before this fixture. In a Surrey batting order already capable of posting above-average totals at this venue, his form was the defining recent context.

Career stats

Sussex

LJ Wright

Wright's record at this level includes a 153 not out off 66 balls in the Blast. As one of Sussex's more experienced T20 performers, his ability to build partnerships in the middle overs is exactly what their chase required.

Career stats

Sussex

BW Sanderson

Sanderson took 6 wickets for 8 runs off 4 overs in the 2025 Blast earlier this season, marking him as capable of dismantling a top order on the right day. Restricting a total like Surrey's 204 requires that kind of performance.

Career stats

Sussex

Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen-ul-Haq has taken 5 wickets for 11 runs in a Blast spell before, showing he can be devastating in short bursts. In a death-overs contest where Sussex needed wickets to stay alive, he was a key figure to watch.

Career stats

Surrey

NA Sowter

Sowter's 5/15 from 4 overs in the 2023 Blast shows what he can produce with the ball at this level. In a match decided by 7 runs, the bowling contributions across both middle and death phases shaped the result.

Career stats

Betting & analytical angles

Angles the data surfaced

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may be worth closer attention at this venue given that both innings significantly outpaced the average first and second innings scores of 174 and 158 respectively.
The toss has historically prompted the fielding decision here 70% of the time, yet Surrey's choice to bat first and post 204/5 underlines that the convention does not always hold.
With a chase success rate of 52% across 415 matches at this ground, outright result markets sit close to even before form and conditions are factored in.
Death-overs dismissal markets could attract interest given how frequently wickets fell in the final phase: nine wickets across both innings dropped in the death, compared to just two in the respective powerplays.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Frequently asked

Questions about Surrey vs Sussex

Who won the Surrey vs Sussex T20 Blast match on 18 July 2025?

Surrey won by 7 runs. They posted 204/5 batting first and Sussex were bowled out for 197/7 in their reply. The result was settled in the death overs, where Sussex lost five wickets chasing 49 runs from the final stretch.

What was Surrey's score against Sussex in the 2025 T20 Blast?

Surrey scored 204/5, including a powerplay of 65 runs without loss. That total was 30 runs above the County Ground's average first-innings score of 174 across 415 matches at the venue.

What is the head-to-head record between Surrey and Sussex in T20 cricket?

Surrey lead the head-to-head 12 wins to 4, with 5 no results from 22 meetings. Surrey have won three of the last four completed encounters, including by margins of 48 runs, 54 runs, and 124 runs.

Where to watch Surrey vs Sussex T20 Blast matches in the UK?

Vitality Blast fixtures are broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Selected highlights and some fixtures may also appear on the ECB's YouTube channel or the Blast's own digital platforms.

What is the average first-innings score at the County Ground in T20 cricket?

Across 415 T20 matches at the County Ground, the average first-innings score is 174 runs and the average second-innings score is 158 runs. Both teams exceeded those averages in this fixture.

What form were Surrey and Sussex in going into this match?

Surrey arrived on a four-match winning run in the 2025 Blast, having beaten Middlesex, Somerset, Glamorgan, and Gloucestershire before a loss to Essex. Sussex had lost four of their previous five games, with their only win coming against Gloucestershire.

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