James Coles' unbeaten 77 leads Sussex to 16-run win over Middlesex at Lord's

James Coles' unbeaten 77 off 44 balls powered Sussex Sharks to a 16-run victory over Middlesex at Lord's in the opening game of the Vitality Blast 2025.
Sussex posted a strong total of 202 for 4, with Coles leading the charge alongside key contributions from the team.
Middlesex managed 186 for 7 in reply, falling short despite Ben Geddes' maiden T20 half-century of 51 from 37 balls and a late surge from Higgins, who scored 44 from 16 balls.
The match showcased a competitive start to the season, with Sussex's bowling attack, including Ollie Robinson (3-27), restricting Middlesex's chase.

Middlesex's Luke Hollman contributed 20 runs from nine balls, and Higgins kept hopes alive with two sixes and two fours in the penultimate over, but it was not enough.

"James Coles smashed a career-best unbeaten 77 to set up a winning start," highlighting his pivotal role.

The game reflected contrasting fortunes from the previous season, where Sussex qualified for the semis and Middlesex won only three of 14 games.

Sussex, led by captain Tymal Mills, rely on proven stars like Harrison Ward, Tom Alsop, and Coles, who all scored over 300 runs last season. Mills himself took 24 wickets, with Coles picking 20.

The match also underlined the importance of bowling first on Lord's pitch, where anything above 150 runs is a challenging target due to swing conditions.

Sussex's strong start to the Vitality Blast season sets a positive tone as they look to build on last year's success.

James Coles scored an unbeaten 77 off 44 balls to lead Sussex Sharks to a 16-run victory over Middlesex at Lord's in the Vitality Blast opener. Sussex posted 202 for 4, with Middlesex falling short at 186 for 7 despite Ben Geddes' 51 and Higgins' late hitting.