New boy Josh Philippe was at the heart of a remarkable Surrey comeback to fire up their Vitality Blast campaign as he teamed up with Will Jacks.

They cruised past Sussex by seven wickets with 27 balls to spare at Hove last Friday, with the Australian’s 52 helping Jacks (70 not out) add 103 to assure success.

Yet that had looked highly unlikely earlier when Sussex were 94 without loss inside eight overs thanks to Harrison Ward (49) and Daniel Hughes (45).

Surrey found them impossible to contain until Dan Lawrence trapped Ward leg before wicket. The match changed in an instant, with seamer Tom Lawes claiming a T20 best of three for 26 as the hosts went into freefall.

Tom Alsop then made 31 as they reached 171 all out in the 20th over, Reece Topley returning to end their final resistance with three for 16.

Surrey lost Jason Roy for 12 but Jacks - in his final match before joining up with England’s T20 squad, alongside Sam Curran - was already flowing, hitting six fours and four sixes in a stay of just 39 balls.

Philippe had been signed to fill the gaps being left by Jacks and Curran, having played 17 T20 internationals for Australia and proved highly effective in their Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers. He hit ten fours and a six in his 28-ball innings. Lawrence (20 not out) helped Jacks finish the job.

The win put Surrey joint second with Essex and Kent, with a tough trip to face Gloucestershire at Bristol coming up next Saturday.

The top two sides in each of the three groups qualify for the quarter-finals, plus two out of the three teams finishing third.

Vitality Blast matches to come: July 4: Gloucestershire (A); July 8: Sussex (H); July 10: Kent (A); July 12: Essex (H).

By Richard Spiller