Surrey speed to semis

Hollioake faced just 59 balls for his 117 not out

C&G Trophy quarter-final, Hove: Surrey 337-3 (50 overs) beat Sussex 323-8 (50 overs) by 14 runs

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Adam Hollioake and Mark Ramprakash struck unbeaten centuries as Surrey advanced to the semi-finals of the C&G Trophy with an enthralling 14-run defeat of Sussex at Hove.

They booked a trip to Headingley for a date with Yorkshire on 31 July, the prize a berth in the final at Lord's against either Somerset or Kent.

Hollioake smashed 117 not out off just 59 balls and Ramprakash 107 not out (off 103 balls) to help Surrey to a massive 337 for three off 50 overs.

Murray Goodwin led the way with a fine 110 not out as Sussex made a brave fist of their huge run-chase, but they were always playing catch-up cricket and ultimately ran out of overs.

Hollioake was at the crease for just 49 minutes, hitting 11 boundaries and five sixes in an innings that oozed class as well as hostility.

Ramprakash's century was a tame one by comparison, but the pair combined brilliantly to put on 148 runs within the last 15 overs.

Sussex had no answer to Hollioake's vitriol

Ramprakash was on 76 when joined by Hollioake in the middle, and it was a measure of the latter's domination that he failed by just two overs in beating his partner to triple figures.

Hollioake accounted for 80 of the pair's first 100 runs, and Ramprakash, himself quite aggressive beforehand, was content to push singles as his rampant skipper tore Sussex apart.

"I enjoyed watching Adam from the other end," Ramprakash said upon leaving the field.

"It was one of those great one-day innings."

On reaching his century, Hollioake removed his helmet and pointed his bat towards his parents in the stands.

The Hollioake family are still in England after attending the memorial service on Monday of Ben Hollioake, Adam's brother and former team-mate who died in a car crash in Australia in March.

I went out there as if I had nothing to lose

Adam Hollioake

Ramprakash, who recently scored successive double-hundreds in the County Championship, gracefully dispatched eight fours and a six from 103 balls faced.

Hollioake won the toss, but looked on as Robin Martin-Jenkins removed both Surrey openers within the first 10 overs.

Ian Ward scratched around for 12 before edging behind an exquisite delivery that pitched in line with the stumps and left the left-hander.

Ali Brown, who scored a record 268 in the fourth round of this competition, then mis-timed an off-drive and picked out captain Chris Adams to fall for 36.

Rikki Clarke then batted well to make 55 off 85 balls before Michael Yardy had him caught by Richard Montgomerie at deep backward square-leg.

Complexion

But, with Surrey on 189 for three, Hollioake then walked to the middle to change the entire complexion of the game.

Montgomerie ensured Sussex would have Surrey's total somewhere in their view with a fast-paced 88 at the top of the order.

Clarke struck twice to rob Montgomerie of Tim Ambrose (12) and Adams (33), but such was his rate of scoring that Sussex reached 100 in the 17th over.

James Ormond was most harshly dealt with, conceding 35 off his first three overs before leaking a total of 61 from seven.

Sussex were dealt a blow when Montgomerie was caught behind by Alec Stewart off Jason Ratcliffe, but Zimbabwean Goodwin kept up the good work.

Goodwin faced just 86 balls for his 110 not out - a knock that boasted eight boundaries and a six - but he lost partners at crucial intervals.

Fittingly, Hollioake took two wickets as Sussex threatened to steal an unlikely win, capping a performance that justly earned him the man-of-the-match award.

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Sussex: R R Montgomerie, T R Ambrose, C J Adams (Capt), M W Goodwin, P A Cottey, M J Prior (Wkt), R S C Martin-Jenkins, M H Yardy, K J Innes, M J G Davis, B V Taylor.

Surrey: I J Ward, A D Brown, M R Ramprakash, I D K Salisbury, A J Hollioake (Capt), A J Stewart (Wkt), J D Ratcliffe, R Clarke, Saqlain Mushtaq, J Ormond, E S H Giddins.

Umpires: B Leadbeater and J F Steele