GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S faint hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Friends Provident T20 were dealt a blow as they were beaten by Sussex Sharks at Arundel yesterday.

The Gladiators were derailed after an opening partnership of 42 between Kevin O’Brien and Hamish Marshall, who top-scored with 41, as they were bowled out for 121.

Muttiah Muralitharan took two wickets, with David Payne and Kane Williamson picking up one apiece to reduce Sussex to 51-4, but an unbroken stand of 74 between David Nash (36*) and Luke Vincent (44*) led the home side to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare.

Gloucestershire lie one place off the bottom of the South group, five points behind fourth-placed Essex with six games left to close the gap, and will almost certainly have to beat Kent at Bristol on Wednesday (5.30pm) if they wish to progress.