Aaron Finch sets Surrey record with T20 ton

The Australian batsman scored 131 to steer his side to a 52-run win at Hove.

File Photo: Aaron Finch struck 10 fours and seven sixes in his 79-ball knock.

Australia’s Aaron Finch made an unbeaten 131, the highest score by a Surrey batsman in a Twenty20 match, as his side ended Sussex’s unbeaten start to English cricket’s Blast tournament with a 52-run win at Hove. But it might have been a different story for the Australia Twenty20 captain had he not been dropped on just one by Sussex paceman Jofra Archer.

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Finch then made Sussex, coached by former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, pay with a blistering 79-ball innings including 10 fours and seven sixes as visitor Surrey piled up 192 for three. It was a total Sussex never came close to and it was bowled out for 140 in the 18th over.

Reprieve

Archer is a fine fielder, particularly off his own bowling, so it was a shock when he dropped a gentle return catch after Finch pushed forward uncertainly to the first ball of the second over. Finch was not in a mood to give a second chance, with even Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, the world’s top-ranked T20 bowler, unable to escape punishment as the Australian hit him for two fours and two sixes.

Together with Ollie Pope (23 not out), Finch shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 100 from 50 balls.