Sussex Twenty20 Champions

Good Old Sussex by the Sea

Dwayne Smith's blistering 59 from 26 balls gave Sussex a 63-run win over Somerset in the Twenty20 Cup final.

The all-rounder blasted three sixes and seven boundaries as Sussex scored 172-7, aided by a late 46-run stand between Chris Nash and Yasir Arafat.

Somerset made an explosive start thanks to Marcus Trescothick (33), but his wicket sparked a dramatic collapse.

Seamer James Kirtley (3-9) was the pick of the Sussex bowlers as the county claimed the trophy for the first time.

Saturday's victory at Edgbaston will go some way to compensate Sussex for their defeat to Hampshire in the Friends Provident final. Both finalists are also assured of a place in the lucrative Twenty20 Champions League in India.

Somerset captain Justin Langer elected to field first under the lights after winning the toss in order to utilise the control of South African new-ball pair Alfonso Thomas and Charl Willoughby. And it was the latter who made the early breakthrough when Murray Goodwin, whose 73 against Northants guided Sussex into the final, was caught behind by Craig Kieswetter for seven in the second over.

Expansive strokeplay from new batsman Rory Hamilton-Brown, alongside Luke Wright, ensured Sussex maintained their early momentum during the six-over powerplay.

But their promising 32-run partnership came to a tame end when indecision between the wickets saw Wright run out by a direct hit from Kieswetter.

The dismissal brought Smith to the crease, and he announced his arrival with two boundaries in three deliveries, much to the delight of the sizeable Sharks contingent at Edgbaston.

Max Waller, who went for 11 runs from his solitary over during the semi-final win over Kent, ended Hamilton-Brown's stay, trapped lbw for 25 in the 10th over, although replays suggested the ball would have comfortably missed leg stump.

However, Smith maintained his onslaught, launching leg-spinner Waller high into the stands for a 95m-long six before reeling off a brutal straight-driven maximum and a subtle late cut behind square for four off Ben Phillips.

Despite Smith's pyrotechnics, Sussex, who beat Northants in their semi-final, continued to lose wickets at the other end, slumping to 80-4 when Ed Joyce was deceived by a slower ball from Peter Trego. Smith brought up his 50 from just 23 deliveries with another brutal straight six off Waller in an eventful 14th over before drilling the next two deliveries for successive boundaries.

However, Waller avenged his earlier mauling when he had Smith stumped attempting to switch-hit a short leg-side delivery over point.

Captain Michael Yardy followed seven balls later, but late resistance from Nash (28 from 22 deliveries) and Arafat (20 not out off 16 balls) pushed Sussex to 172-7.

Somerset's response was impressive as Trescothick, who smashed 56 from 32 deliveries against Kent, brought up his 1,000th Twenty20 run with a boundary.

The left-hander then twice launch Wright into the stands for leg-side sixes as the Sabres raced to 34-0 from just three overs.

But just as Trescothick threatened to cut loose, he top-edged a catch to Hamilton-Brown at deep cover off Kirtley, ending his entertaining 15-ball innings.

Langer feel soon after, bowled misjudging an Arafat delivery while James Hildreth was dismissed for one in the eighth over.

Somerset's innings began to subside when leg-spinner Beer had the dangerous Kieswetter stumped for his second wicket of the night.

With the run-rate rapidly accelerating towards double figures, Trego attempted to alleviate the pressure with two successive sixes off Beer.

But any distant hopes of victory evaporated when the all-rounder was caught attempting another huge hit by Smith at long on.

Kirtley entertained the crowd with two wickets in two balls before victory was sealed with 16 balls to spare when Thomas drilled a simple catch to Yardy at short cover.