The crowd were singing along to Football’s Coming Home and other assorted England anthems from the past.

More than 24 hours out from the Euro 2024 final, whoever was playing the music at Hove knew their audience.

The mood was still pretty upbeat at the end, which tends to be the way at Vitality Blast matches.

It is not all about the result.

Which is just as well because, to continue a football theme, Sussex missed the chance to bring a quarter-final home after losing a game they led 2-0 midway through the second half.

With Essex 90-5 on a sunny afternoon and in a vibrant atmosphere, this all felt perfect.

The home side had posted another decent score, at 207-2, and were looking razor sharp in the field.

Ollie Robinson took two wickets in successive balls and Jack Carson held a catch right in front of the partying Shark Stand.

Then Michael Pepper took over and that home tie was left still in doubt.

Pepper, who walked out to bat after two balls of the Essex innings, faced just 53 deliveries and hit nine sixes and nine fours for his 120 not out.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCORECARD

He was well supported by Charlie Allison, who made an unbeaten 44 from 26, including a six and four fours.

The pair put on a game-changing partnership worth 121 in nine overs.

Sharks secured their place in the next stage with a big win at Kent on Friday, accompanied by other results.

That in itself probably exceeds most people’s expectations for Tymal Mills’ side, certainly outside the camp.

Games at Somerset this Thursday and at home to Middlesex on Friday will decide their final placing in the top four.

With this remarkable win, Essex remained very much in the hunt for a home tie and one perhaps recalls how they kick-started a run all the way to the cup after winning at Hove a few years ago.

Tom Clark, who scored 72 not out off 53 balls for Sussex, said: “At one stage we were in a very strong position but when someone plays an innings like that you have to take your hat off to them.

“There are obviously things we could have done better but he played one hell of a knock and you have to give credit for it.

“We got a good score but nowadays 200 can always be chased on a good pitch like this.

“We were in a good position when we had them 90-5 but they do have a destructive batting line-up.

“It was a pitch you had to adapt to. It was not the flattest of pitches but it was still a good wicket and that was a great knock.

“We still hope to be playing here in the quarters.”

Dan Hughes and Clark put on 110 for the second Sussex wicket in just 11 overs and the sun-kissed crowd lapped it up.

It is 20 years ago now since then Sussex coach Peter Moores surveyed the post-match scene at Hove, with kids playing on the outfield and parents enjoying a leisurely drink, and reflected that Saturday afternoon seemed a great time for this new-fangled thing called Twenty20.

That game was also against Essex and Sussex won a thriller helped by a brilliant bit of fielding by Robin Martin-Jenkins behind square near the end.

The Saturday afternoon T20 has never really caught on, which is a shame.

Saturday afternoon matches are a big part of English sporting culture and there was a very enjoyable atmosphere about this one – quite reminiscent of the old John Player League games on a Sunday, for those who go back that far.

And, of course, being an afternoon, it wasn’t as cold as it can be in the evening.

The sell-out gathering enthused over an early blast from Harrison Ward, then an innings from Hughes which brought 81 off 43 balls, with five sixes and eight fours, striking at a rate of 188 to take his total to 435 runs in the competition this season.

Twice in one over, the Aussie hit Shane Snater over long leg for six to bring up his 50 off only 26 balls.

The in-form Tom Alsop added 27 not out off 14 balls, then Robinson struck almost immediately in the reply when Adam Rossington picked out Clark on the legside boundary.

Mills just nicked Dean Edgar’s legside bail and Robinson, switching to the Cromwell Road End, had Robin Dias caught behind off a thin edge before Hughes held a Paul Walter miscue low down off the very next delivery.

Matt Critchley walked out into the bullring and blocked the hat-trick ball but had scored just 13 when he flicked Nathan McAndrew into Carson’s hands at fine leg.

It's coming home.

Pepper, though, was still very much there. And, nine overs of hurt later, Sussex’s hopes of that Hove tie remained very much in the balance.