Sussex vs Hampshire predictions: Hants can do the double over struggling hosts
- Hampshire are third in the T20 Blast South Group with five wins
- Sussex lost their other T20 Blast meeting with Hampshire earlier this month by 10 wickets
- Recommended bet: Hampshire to win
Champions Hampshire thrashed Sussex by 10 wickets in the T20 Blast earlier this month and the teams have since gone in different directions in the competition's South Group.
While Sussex are lingering in the division's lower echelons, Hampshire are pushing for a place in the top four and the subsequent quarter-finals, having picked up their third Blast title last season.
On Friday, the teams lock horns at the County Cricket Ground in Hove as Sussex look to respond to their most recent defeat to Surrey and Hampshire aim to bounce back from a rare loss against Kent.
Team news
Fresh from his knock of 43 in defeat to Surrey last time out, Tom Clark is once again expected to open the batting with James Coles for Sussex.
Shadab Khan should also be involved once again, having steadily improved since a nasty collision on his Blast debut for the hosts.
There is no new team news to report for Hampshire.
The stats
Hampshire have recorded five wins from their eight matches in this year's T20 Blast, putting them third in the South Group.
Sussex lost by 124 runs against Surrey last time out and that was their fifth loss in their last six games.
Hants batsman James Vince has racked up 406 runs in eight innings in this year's T20 Blast, while Tymal Mills has collected 14 Blast wickets for Sussex in 2023.
Hampshire won last year's T20 Blast, beating Lancashire Lightning by a solitary run in the final at Edgbaston.
Prediction
Hampshire's win over Sussex at the start of the month in the T20 Blast was something quite special.
Having won the toss and decided to bat, Sussex were skittled out for only 144 in 18.5 overs, with five of their top six batsmen failing to make double figures.
Their response was pretty feeble as they allowed Hampshire to reach their target without the loss of a wicket thanks to fine knocks from captain James Vince (71 not out) and vice-captain Ben McDermott (69 not out).
It was a commanding display and Hampshire followed that result with wins over Middlesex and Somerset to take the initiative in the South Group.
They slipped up against Kent last time out, losing by six wickets with only three balls left, but with Vince in excellent form this season on 406 runs, they look a cut above Sussex.
The hosts sit eighth out of nine teams in the South Group and have lost five of their last six games in the T20 Blast.
