Sussex will need to beat Twenty20 kings Surrey in their own Oval backyard tonight and it still might not be enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Essex are now favourites to reach the knockout stages as one of the two best third-placed teams after defeating Surrey by one run at Chelmsford last night.
They will definitely qualify if they win their last game against Kent at Canterbury but if they lose and Sussex win the Sharks will go through.
Surrey captain Alistair Brown described the decision to play a five overs per side game in persistent rain on a soaking outfield as 'farcical' and Sussex players watching on television would no doubt concur, especially as their game against Kent was abandoned after 11 overs in similar conditions.
Director of cricket Peter Moores said: "If we can beat Surrey on their patch I think we will have deserved to go through."
Sussex will be unchanged with Tim Ambrose continuing to deputise for Matt Prior who is on England duty.
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