Friends Life T20: Scott Styris Dominates as Sussex Advance to Semifinals

New Zealand batsman Scott Styris powered his way to the third quickest century in Twenty20 cricket history today as the Sussex Sharks defeated the Gloucestershire Gladiators by 39 runs at Hove.

The 37-year-old hit nine sixes as he made his way to 100 not-out in a remarkable 37 balls. The monster innings was accompanied towards the end by a Murray Goodwin 55.

The returning Matt Prior hit an impressive 60 from just 38 balls, all of which gave Sussex a huge total of 230 after 20 overs.

Thanks to a couple of no-balls, Styris' century included an astounding 38 runs off of one over by the unfortunate James Fuller. In the fateful 18th over of the innings Fuller bowled two no-balls with his first two deliveries, both making their way to the boundary.

It could have been very different, but an opportunity to run the all-rounder out with just seven runs was missed by Muttiah Muralitharan.

Gloucestershire had a good go at responding to the score. Hamish Marshall (42), Dan Housego (47) and Alex Gidman (44), all played well but couldn't go on and make the big score that was needed.

The Gladiators finished on 191-8, and it will be Sussex who will go onto finals day at the Swalec Stadium next month.

In today's other quarterfinal, there was a victory for Somerset, who beat Essex by 27 runs at Taunton.

Meanwhile in international Twenty20, there was more history made when Richie Berrington became the seventh batsman in history to make a Twenty20 international century. Berrington's Scotland side capitalised on the knock and defeated Bangladesh by 34 runs in Voorburg.

Berrington only needed 56 balls to reach a century that included 10 fours and five sixes.