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Both teams have lost an influential spinner – Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath, but India still appear to have all bases covered on a green Pallekele surface

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Pallekele11-Aug-20172:45

Agarkar: Play Kuldeep, he’ll be useful in away Tests

Match FactsAugust 12-16, 2017
Start time 1000 local (0430GMT)Big PictureIndia have arrived at Pallekele, and oh my, a 22-yard carpet almost as lush and green as the surrounding hills has been rolled out before them. The track is likely to be shaved before the first ball is bowled on Saturday, but nevertheless, this one may be a unicorn of an Asian surface, where teams consider strapping three quicks to the plough. The visitors have thrashed Sri Lanka on a batting pitch. They have spanked Sri Lanka on a bone-dry turner. Now they have the chance to collect the set.With their most-experienced quicks and best spinner now unavailable for this match, Sri Lanka are now relying largely on surprise. The attack for this Test could be the greenest one in recent times – three frontline bowlers likely to have played fewer than 15 Tests put together. Sri Lanka are hoping that a batting order that has spent weeks preparing for Rangana Herath and Nuwan Pradeep will be caught off guard by Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando. The young quicks, at least, could not hope for friendlier conditions at home.But the thing about this India side is that they have all bases covered. If they feel this is a surface that will be conducive to seam bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is capable of running through sides in such conditions, becomes a strong contender to play. Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami have also been intermittently menacing even on flat and dry tracks. Spying a pitch that suits them now, they will have their sights set on the kinds of heavy hauls that are rarely accessible to them on the continent.Though there may be temptation to become complacent with the series so handsomely won, there are some statistical records that could spur India to maintain their intensity. They have never whitewashed Sri Lanka at home in a three-Test series. A victory here will also give them five straight wins on the island – all those achieved under Virat Kohli’s captaincy.Form guideSri Lanka LLWLW (completed matches, most recent first)
India WWWDWIn the spotlightHis hundred in the last Test may have been on a dustbowl, but Dimuth Karunaratne has prospered on seaming decks as well. His second-highest Test score of 152 came on a virtual plantation of a surface in Christchurch, against the likes of Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Though he has a modest first-dig record, Pallekele is one of the two venues in which he has scored a first-innings hundred – in 2015, against Pakistan. The most successful Sri Lanka batsman in the year so far, Karunaratne needs to carry his form right until the last innings of the series.No Indian has scored three Test centuries in an away series of three Tests or fewer. Only one has managed that in India. Going by how the series has gone, it might need something special to prevent Cheteshwar Pujara from becoming the first. In Galle, scoring a flawless hundred in perfect batting conditions, Pujara made no bones about his greed for hundreds. He enjoys the difficult ones more, but he will never look away from easier ones. This, against a deflated home side, is a great chance for him to add to his 13 Test tons.Team newsDhananjaya de Silva may retain his place despite two modest outings at the SSC. The attack, however is difficult to pick. Dilruwan Perera will probably play, thanks in no small part to his recent batting form. Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando seem the likeliest quicks. Then the quandary becomes whether to field three seamers and play Dushmantha Chameera, or whether to select Lakshan Sandakan, who bowled well in his only Test at this venue.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Dushmantha Chameera/ Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Vishwa Fernando, 11 Lahiru Kumara,Virat Kohli will lead a changed XI yet again with Ravindra Jadeja suspended for this Test. Kuldeep Yadav should be a direct replacement for him, but India could look to rest one of the quicks. If the pitch is seam-friendly, three specialist quicks could play, leaving out either the allrounder Hardik Pandya or the second spinner.India (possible): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 R Ashwin, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Hardik Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Umesh Yadav, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed ShamiPitch and conditionsPallekele naturally affords quick bowlers a degree of pace and bounce, and the colour of the pitch on the eve of the match suggested there would be seam movement for the first two days as well. This ground is one of the wettest venues on the planet, however, so expect rain to hold up play at some point.Stats and trivia India have eight Test wins in Sri Lanka, which means they are tied with Pakistan for most victories on the island. If they win in Pallekele, five of their nine wins in the country would have come since 2015, and would also have come consecutively. Pujara is the leading run-scorer for 2017, with 843 runs at an average of 76.63. Karunaratne is fourth on that list, with 614 runs at 43.85. The two highest individual scores at Pallekele (Kusal Mendis’ 176 and Younis Khan’s 171*) have come in the second innings. There has not been a drawn Test in Sri Lanka for three years. Each of the 18 most-recent matches have yielded results.

Chelsea are reportedly "well-informed" on Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga and are "considering" a move for the Spanish midfielder, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Veiga joining Chelsea?

Described as a "very electric player" and "one of the best talents in the world", Veiga's rise to fame has been meteoric.

After enjoying a stellar breakout season with Celta Vigo in La Liga, the wonderkid has attracted interest from the world's biggest clubs, including the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

The 21-year-old has a release clause in his contract worth roughly £34m making him a highly desirable target with enormous potential. The Spaniard popped up with 11 goals and four assists from central midfield in La Liga last term and is set to leave Celta this summer, handing the Sky Blues a tidy profit.

With a host of top clubs knocking on his door, Veiga is spoiled for choice and now potentially has an offer from Chelsea to consider too.

According to transfer guru Romano, Veiga is being closely monitored by the Blues. While all focus is currently on a deal for Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, Veiga could be Mauricio Pochettino's next midfield target.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Mentioning midfielders and talented midfielders, for Gabri Veiga, guys, on the media it has gone a bit quiet in recent weeks, but I can tell you that behind the scenes things are happening in terms of contacts.

"So, we know he has a release clause around €40m but some clubs believe that they can find an agreement for a value below this fee, so to go for something less than €40m. So, let's see how the conversation will continue but keep an eye on Gabri Veiga because in the next days and weeks clubs will move on the player."

He continued: "We know Chelsea have been following the situation. Chelsea are very well-informed on the situation of Gabri Veiga. Let's see if they will bid for Gabri but for sure he's a player they appreciate and one of the players they are considering at Chelsea. So, not only Chelsea but they are following this situation."

Romano also mentions Romeo Lavia as a midfielder that the Blues are interested in and said a deal for the Southampton man would not impact a potential deal for number one target Caicedo. Assuming this also applies to Veiga, it means that two new midfielders could arrive at Stamford Bridge this window.

Chelsea have not been afraid to spend big in recent years but are looking for a more fine-tuned and less erratic approach to their transfer business this summer. Veiga would certainly provide good value for money and the Blues' interest in signing talented youngsters makes a deal all the more likely.

How good is Veiga?

Veiga's statistical output last season was phenomenal for such a young player, especially given he featured in a struggling Celta team that finished 13th and only three points above the relegation spaces.

Compared to other La Liga midfielders per 90 last season, Veiga ranked in the top two percent for non-penalty goals, the top one percent for shots on target and the top six percent for shots on target percentage.

His ability to provide a goal threat from deep central positions is outstanding and would prove useful for any side looking for more attacking output from their midfield players.

Veiga is still very raw, however, and there are elements of his game which need improvement. Statistically, his passing averages and accuracy were very low compared to other La Liga midfielders, something which would need to improve should he make a move to the Premier League.

At 21-years-old he offers a buying club a project player with an incredibly high potential, albeit he is far from the finished article just yet.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to overhaul their attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What’s the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

According to the Heart & Hand Podcast, the Gers remain keen on a deal to sign Feyenoord centre-forward Danilo in the summer transfer window.

The official club sponsor claims that Michael Beale will still pursue a move for the Brazilian striker despite the club being close to bringing in Cyriel Dessers.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Light Blues have agreed a fee with Cremonese and are set to finalise personal terms with the Nigerian.

However, this does not appear to alter their plans to swoop for the Eredivisie marksman, who has reportedly been valued at around €8m (£6.8m) by the Dutch outfit.

Where would Danilo fit in at Rangers?

If the Dessers deal goes through as claimed, the Gers would have four senior number nines on the books; including the Cremonese ace, Antonio Colak, Sam Lammers, and Kemar Roofe.

Therefore, the signing of Danilo on top of that could be bad news for one of Beale’s current options as it would restrict their game time, potentially leaving the club in need of moving them on before the deadline.

The Brazilian striker's arrival would spell trouble for Roofe as the former Leeds United frontman has been an unreliable player for the club in recent years, which could open the door for the manager to cut ties with him this summer.

Since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, the Jamaica international has missed a staggering 84 competitive matches across seven injuries, including 35 games due to a knee issue last season.

A player's most important quality is their availability, as they are otherwise unable to make an impact on results, and Roofe has proven himself to be a liability on that front.

Danilo, on the other hand, has only been absent for 16 competitive outings since the start of the 2019/20 season and made 48 appearances for Feyenoord last term, while the Gers centre-forward has only played 42 matches across the last two campaigns combined.

Therefore, the 24-year-old hotshot, who was once hailed by Erik ten Hag as the manager's best "finisher" at Ajax, would be a far better option for Beale to have in his squad due to his durability.

The £6.8m-rated ace also scored ten goals and provided three assists in 14 Eredivisie starts last season, which is a goal record only four Rangers players bettered in the Scottish Premiership – with three of them having started more than 17 times.

This shows that the potential is there for him to be an excellent scorer for the Light Blues whilst being able to offer more reliability in his availability in comparison to Roofe.

Manchester United are believed to be continuing their bid to sign Atalanta starlet, Rasmus Hojlund, with the Red Devils stepping up their search for a new number nine.

What is the latest on Hojlund to Man United?

According to Sky Sports journalist, Dharmesh Sheth, the Old Trafford outfit are currently in negotiations with regard to the signing of the 20-year-old, with Erik ten Hag and co also hoping to seal a deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper, Andre Onana.

Writing on Twitter regarding those two possible arrivals from Italy, the transfer insider revealed: "Manchester United bid worth €45m now in for Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana as per @lauriewhitwell.

"Gap in valuation exists – but feeling is it can be closed. United still looking at alternatives. Talks continue with Atalanta over striker Rasmus Hojlund."

As per 90min, the Serie A side could well demand as much as €80m (£69m) if they are to part ways with the Danish marksman, albeit with United currently unwilling to go beyond €60m (£51m).

How many goals has Rasmus Hojlund scored?

For all the talk regarding the youngster's "incredible maturity" and the fact that he is believed to be "similar to [Erling] Haaland" – according to his former boss Christian Ilzer – the one-time Sturm Graz man is still an incredibly raw and relatively unproven talent, having scored just nine league goals for Atalanta last term.

For the Bergamo-based side to be demanding such a hefty fee despite that relatively uninspiring goal tally is rather ludicrous, with there seemingly similarities to be made between United's previous, costly capture of Amad Diallo from the Serie A side.

The promising Ivorian was just 18 when he was signed on a £37m deal by United back in January 2021, with that sizeable price tag coming despite the fact that the teenager had made only five first-team appearances for his former employers.

While there are hopes that the winger can finally make his mark at Old Trafford next season – after scoring 14 goals on loan at Sunderland last time out – Amad has thus far been on the periphery at his parent club, having been restricted to just nine first-team appearances for the Red Devils since arriving in England two-and-a-half years ago.

At present, it does look as if United may have overpaid for a player who has had little impact at the Theatre of Dreams thus far, with it yet to be seen if the diminutive wide man will come good over the coming years.

With Ten Hag in desperate need of a striker who can come in and make an immediate impact – with Anthony Martial currently the only senior centre-forward at the club – the Dutchman can ill-afford a repeat of the Amad tale, hence the potential reservations over bringing in Hojlund to be the club's number nine solution.

Of course, the latter man has shown flashes of brilliance in his short career to date – having scored 12 goals in just 21 games during his time in Austria – although his acquisition would still represent a real gamble and a costly one at that.

With the Red Devils having gone a decade without a league title triumph, the need for immediate success is now growing.

Can Hojlund be the man to deliver that much-craved league crown? On the evidence of his promising, yet far from prolific form in Italy, that appears unlikely…

Arsenal have finalised their first move of the summer, but seemingly have no intention to slow down in their pursuit of an even brighter future.

What's the latest on Jurrien Timber to Arsenal?

This newest addition could now come in the form of Jurrien Timber, who is reportedly the latest to close in on a switch to the Emirates.

Having announced Kai Havertz's arrival only yesterday, this creative Dutch defender could provide a fine partner for the German creator, should Mikel Arteta seek to invert him into midfield.

Journalist James Benge would detail Edu's progress with Ajax, with the CBS Sports account tweeting:

"Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is getting close to joining for around $55m (£44m). @JamesBenge understands Arsenal are optimistic that the deal will progress swiftly in the coming days."

Would Jurrien Timber improve Kai Havertz?

Whilst many might scratch their heads as to where the former Chelsea maestro will feature within their team, Arteta sought to clear up the reasons behind his acquisition: "Kai is a player of top quality. He has great versatility & is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield & variety to our play."

This suggests that, whilst his favoured role might be in the ten, perhaps his quality elsewhere could see him deployed deeper.

If so, to be partnered beside Timber could prove the perfect platform for him to truly reach the potential that many would argue he failed to fulfil at Stamford Bridge.

Just 49 goal contributions in 139 games for the west London outfit showcases a struggling figure, especially given he scored 18 times in just one season across all competitions before he departed his homeland.

Joining up with this free-flowing outfit now though could help revitalise the 24-year-old, who boasts experience way beyond his years. It seems that his time in England has added an element of steel to his already excellent offensive capabilities, with the Blues now gift-wrapping an all-around monster to their north London rivals.

After all, when compared to other forwards across Europe, Havertz ranks in the top 6% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 10% for tackles per 90, via FBref.

Placing this beside the 22-year-old titan, who can also play in midfield, would be impressive. Indeed, the Dutchman has showcased a quality way beyond others in his role, with his work rate and quality in the engine room potentially allowing the £65m magician to recapture his form of old.

When compared to other centre-backs across Europe, Timber ranks in the top 1% for passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90. This was all whilst maintaining 1.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the Eredivisie last term, via Sofascore.

Journalist Casey Evans sought to praise the youngster last summer, as he implored Erik ten Hag to secure a deal for Manchester United. He wrote: "Get him to bring Timber or Martinez with him, both are outstanding."

To potentially have a couple of ball-playing leaders in such key positions could see Arteta enact even more control over each game next campaign, with Edu's stellar recruitment continuing to impress.

دخل مانويل نوير، حارس مرمى فريق بايرن ميونخ، تاريخ بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا بعد خوضه مباراة الأمس أمام لاتسيو الإيطالي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات إياب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث فاز بايرن ميونخ بنتيجة 3-0 (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وحسبما ذكرت شبكة “أوبتا” العالمية، فإن مانويل نوير حافظ على نظافة شباكه للمرة 57 في دوري أبطال أوروبا، في مباراته رقم 136.

وأوضحت أن نوير عادل بذلك الرقم القياسي لـ إيكر كاسياس، الذي حقق ذلك الرقم في 177 مباراة.

ويليهم جيانلويجي بوفون الذي حافظ على نظافة شباكه في 52 مباراة في البطولة الأوروبية، ليُعد ثالث أكثر الحراس حفاظًا على شباكه.

Leeds United confirmed they have parted company with Sam Allardyce this week and the club have quickly been linked to a number of managers, including a recent winner of the Championship…

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Scott Parker?

According to The Telegraph, the Yorkshire giants are eyeing up the potential appointment of former AFC Bournemouth boss Scott Parker.

As per the report, the Whites are now putting together a thorough recruitment process to find a manager who can bring success back to the club and improve performances on the pitch, with Parker named as one of three candidates who are being looked at currently.

Would Scott Parker be the right fit for Leeds?

The club find themselves in an extremely vulnerable position with no sporting director, no manager and a takeover reportedly in the works, so there is plenty of work that must be done over the summer to reinstate some stability ahead of their Championship campaign.

Burnley's instant bounce back to Premier League football will give hope to the Elland Road faithful amidst the uncertainty behind the scenes and securing a manager who has the experience of dominating the second tier would be massively advantageous to boost their chances of success.

As a result, the appointment of Parker could be a great opportunity to not only bring a manager who has a 100% success rate in promoting his two Championship sides to the top flight, but an attacking-minded tactician who can significantly improve their attacking prowess.

One of Leeds' biggest issues in the latter stages of their campaign was their inability to kill games when it mattered most, going nine games without a win before being relegated on the final day.

Indeed, the squad boasts a wide range of attacking talent with Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Luis Sinisterra, but finding the key to unlocking their potential and consistency in front of goal failed miserably for Allardyce.

Both the Cherries and the Cottagers thrived from an attacking perspective under the supervision of Parker in the Championship with the Cherries promoted automatically after scoring a whopping 74 goals, whilst he guided Fulham back to the top flight by beating Brentford 2-1 in the 2020 playoffs at Wembley.

Whilst the 42-year-old – hailed for his "brilliant" job at Bournemouth by West Ham boss David Moyes – has an impressive EFL record, there is no denying that he was financially backed too, so if the 49ers could push through a takeover and provide the former England international with a healthy budget it would be a no-brainer to snap up his services this summer.

With that being said, Parker's poor record in the top flight should be the least of Leeds' concerns as appointing a manager who has the clear experience to lead teams to promotion is incredibly desirable at this moment in time and should be the immediate priority for the club's hierarchy.

Michael Beale faces a crucial summer transfer window in charge of Glasgow Rangers as they look to wrestle back the Premiership title from their Old Firm rivals.

Beale’s two January signings, Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell, have enjoyed positive starts to life at Ibrox – having been "playing well" , according to their manager – and if there are a few more signings like this during the summer, the majority of the supporters will be happy heading into 2023/24.

There could be moves for players across all areas of the pitch and Danish centre-back Thomas Kristensen has been touted for a switch, according to Danish outlet BTSporten (via the Scottish Daily Express), as the Gers have ‘watched’ him in the hopes of luring the player to Scotland.

Aged just 21, he has plenty of years left in the tank and over time, he could certainly become the ideal heir to Connor Goldson at the heart of the defence.

Could Rangers sign Thomas Kristensen?

Goldson has been a mainstay in the first team since joining in 2018, missing only 14 games through injury or illness, although 11 of those have come this season and with the defender looking like he will miss the last few matches of this term with a hip injury, Beale may surely look to the market for a prospective heir for the Englishman.

He won't be going anywhere, anytime soon, especially with three more years on his contract, however, the niggling injuries this term may go on to have a detrimental effect over his next few years in the game.

Journalist Barry Anderson dubbed Kristensen as “one of several young players with potential on their radar” when the club were first linked with the defender, suggesting Beale is looking at building his team with an influx of young talent.

The 6 foot 6 colossus has enjoyed a solid campaign for Danish side AGF, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7/10 across 20 Superliga matches, while he has won 59% of his total duels (4.2 per game), made 3.5 clearances, 1.9 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game along with taking 64.7 touches each match, suggesting that he is extremely comfortable on the ball and is strong in the tackle, winning more duels than he has lost.

The towering Dane ranks first in the squad for interceptions, second for clearances and seventh for tackles per game this season, underling how important he is to the side despite his tender age.

Moving to Scotland certainly wouldn’t faze him given his contributions for AGF this season and Beale could well uncover an ideal Goldson heir in the process.

Worcestershire have gambled on a win-at-all-costs pitch at Worcester – but Glamorgan’s Will Bragg stood in their way with a sparkling unbeaten half-century on a 15-wicket day

ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2016
ScorecardSteve Rhodes, seen here alongside former England coach Andy Flower, wants three wins in five [file picture]•Getty Images

A sparkling half-century by Will Bragg steadied Glamorgan as 15 wickets went down on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship meeting with promotion contenders Worcestershire at New Road.The hard-hitting left hander ended a recent run of single-figure scores by making 75 not out as the Welsh county reached 118 for 5 after dismissing the home side for 163 by tea.On a cloudy, sultry morning, Jacques Rudolph backed his seamers by choosing to bowl first and they were soon on a roll as Worcestershire collapsed to 37 for 5. A subsequent partnership of 66 by Ross Whiteley (40) and Joe Leach (43) seemed to be no more than damage limitation but grew in value when Glamorgan began to lose wickets.Worcestershire’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, has targeted three wins in the last five matches to put his team in “a really good position” in the promotion race. So far this one has been tougher than may have been anticipated against a side who were propping up the Division Two table.Bragg suggested that swing played a large part. “The pitch is quite slow, slower than normal, but the ball was swinging nicely for our bowlers once the lacquer had gone off it after 10 overs. It was the same when they bowled but we could have been in a stronger position but for a couple of sloppy shots.”Rhodes also played down too many pitch discussions. “At 37 for five we were in all sorts of trouble and it was not necessarily down to the pitch. We played a few shots we’d like to rewind and play again but the way we fought back was good. It was a wholehearted effort by the bowlers.”Kettleborough moves on

Glamorgan have released James Kettleborough, although they have yet to admit it in the hope that it will help him find a new county, .
As for Kettleborough, he has no qualms about telling it how it is. “Formerly of Northants and Glamorgan,” is the message already available – for confirmed followers only – on his Twitter feed.

Swing was Glamorgan’s big asset, as Brett D’Oliveira discovered when he was bowled, playing no shot, in teenager Lukas Carey’s second over. This was a big comedown for the opener after making a career-best 202 not out when the teams met at Cardiff in May.Wicketkeeper Mark Wallace was one who benefited from the movement, whether in the air or off the pitch. He took three catches in the morning and two more later.Graham Wagg bowled an excellent spell with the new ball, taking the outside edge to dismiss Daryl Mitchell in his fifth over, and Michael Hogan started with two wickets without conceding a run in 10 deliveries.Tom Fell (16) drove to cover, where Wagg held a smart catch, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore was quickly added to Wallace’s list of victims.It was five down when Joe Clarke followed a ball from Craig Meschede but Ben Cox held up the Welsh charge for a while until he was caught at first slip off Wagg after lunch.Glamorgan were only checked when Whiteley played responsibly for more than two hours and found buccaneering support from Leach.Whiteley was eventually caught at mid-on when cramped up by a ball from Meschede and Hogan (four for 44) landed a double blow in the space of three balls.Ed Barnard was caught by Wallace and Leach drove hard to Meschede at mid-on. The last pair hung around for half-an-hour before Wallace had the final word when holding Jack Shantry’s edge off Carey.With the sun shining, Glamorgan’s reply began badly with Nick Selman bowled, second ball, by Leach but Bragg got things moving with four boundaries in an over from Barnard.Rudolph helped put on 54 until driving a ball from Charlie Morris to mid-off and Bragg completed 50 from 54 balls before David Lloyd was taken at second slip off Shantry.Further wickets saw Aneurin Donald playing on to Leach and Meschede pulling Barnard to mid-on.

ScorecardJason Roy gave Surrey a flying start with 36 from 25 balls•Getty Images

Surrey kept their hopes of reaching the last eight of the NatWest T20 Blast alive with a comfortable six-wicket win over Sussex Sharks in front of a 22,601 crowd at The Kia Oval.Having restricted Sussex to 153 for 6 on a slow pitch, Surrey paced their response perfectly and won the game with ten balls to spare when Chris Morris swung Mustafizur Rahman over midwicket for six.It was Surrey’s sixth win in the ultra-competitive South Group and they join Sussex on 12 points, but the Sharks only have one game left – at home to second-placed Glamorgan next Wednesday – and their chances of making the quarter-finals appear remote.Surrey had been given a strong start by England opener Jason Roy, who made 36 off 25 balls, hitting six fours and a six.Roy looked in the mood but was becalmed by slow left-armer Danny Briggs who came on in the powerplay and bowled Roy in his second over as the batsman slogged across the line. A clearly frustrated Roy angrily swished his bat at the stumps as he departed, an act which may earn him a rebuke from umpires David Millns and Alex Wharf.Roy’s opening partner Aaron Finch had gone in the third over, caught at backward point off a huge top-edge to give Jofra Archer, the Barbados-born fast bowler playing only his third game in the competition, the first of two wickets.But Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns were determined not to squander Surrey’s good start. The third-wicket pair added 42 in 27 balls and although Burns (13) was superbly caught at long leg by the diving Rahman, Sibley made a composed 40 off 31 deliveries with three sixes and a four to put his side in control.He was athletically caught by Sussex captain Luke Wright at extra cover in the 15th over, but Surrey required just 38 runs at that stage and Morris (20) and Ben Foakes (22) eased them to their sixth win of the group stage.Sussex, who had been put in, were 15-20 runs short in the end. With four overs to go they were 135 for 3 but Jade Dernbach and Tom Curran bowled superbly at the death, taking three wickets as Sussex cobbled together just 18 more runs.Craig Cachopa and Matt Machan had put on 51 in 31 balls for the fourth wicket but they fell off successive Dernbach deliveries in the 19th over. Machan (18) top-edged a pull and Cachopa was held at long on for 45 (34 balls, 7 fours) while Chris Jordan gave Curran a deserved wicket when he holed out to deep mid-wicket in the final over.Sussex were without fast bowler Tymal Mills because of ankle trouble and their leading scorer in this season’s Blast Ross Taylor, who has joined up with New Zealand for their tour of South Africa.In Taylor’s absence they needed experienced openers Chris Nash and Wright to perform and although Nash played well for his 39 from 34 balls, Sussex captain Wright was out for just 7.Surrey’s seamers showed good control with Dernbach taking 2 for 25, Morris 2 for 21 and Tom Curran 1 for 20.