LONDON, England, CMC – Barbadian Dwayne Smith played a vital role with the bat to help fire Sussex into the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 Cup on Sunday.
The right-handed Smith, who has not played for West Indies in two years, hit a measured 33 from 34 balls and shared in a crucial partnership to help bolster the middle order as Sussex beat Middlesex by six wickets with an over to spare at Lord’s.
Chasing Middlesex’ 120 for eight after the hosts won the toss and batted first, Sussex reached 130 for four.
They were tottering at 28 for three at one stage but Smith shared a 55-run fourth wicket stand with Ed Joyce (41 not out) to put Sussex back on course.
Smith struck two fours and a six in an innings of restraint before Chris Nash blasted 26 off the penultimate over by Chris Silverwood, to finish unbeaten on 35 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 47 with Joyce.
With the victory, Sussex finished second behind Kent in the South Division and will now play Warwickshire in the final eight.
At Headlingley, Jamaica and West Indies batsman Wavell Hinds stroked an unbeaten 49 from 44 balls to help propel Derbyshire to a 37-run win over Yorkshire.
The left-hander hit two fours and a six and posted 57 for the fifth wicket with Garry Park (42) as the visitors reached 164 for five after being sent in. In reply, Yorkshire could only muster 127 all out off 19.5 overs. Derbyshire were already out of the running for a quarter-final spot. At Beckenham, Barbadian all-rounder Chris Jordan produced a solid all-rounder performance for Surrey but it was not enough as they went down to Kent by 16 runs.
Jordan, who qualifies to play for either West Indies or England, snatched two for 34 with his fast medium as Kent reached 184 for seven.
He returned to stroke a cameo 20 from 11 balls with three fours and a six at the top of the order but Surrey still fell short at 168 for nine. Neither team were in the running for a final eight berth.
Durham, with former Jamaica and West Indies all-rounder Gareth Breese, beat Leicestershire by six wickets to reach the quarter-finals while Leeward Islands and West Indies all-rounder Omari Banks’ Somerset also advanced via a narrow one-run win over Warwickshire.
