Delray Rawlins and his Sussex team-mates missed out on reaching a 50 overs final in two weeks’ time after they were beaten by 65 runs by Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Sussex suffered the heartbreaking semi-final loss at home at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove yesterday after Lancashire recovered brilliantly from 67 for five to set the Sharks a target of 320 to win.

Sussex looked on their way to victory at 120 for one after 20 overs, with Ali Orr going great guns, but Lancashire had another recovery, taking four wickets in the space of 11.3 overs to have the home side in some bother at 167 for four.

In the end Sussex were dismissed for 254 in 46.3 overs, with Rawlins, batting at No 7, bowled by Tom Bailey for 23 after facing 14 balls and hitting two fours and a six before he was sixth out on 218 in the 39th over.

Orr led the Sussex batting with 71 from 65 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes. He and Tom Alsop put on 58 for the first wicket in 8.1 overs, before Orr shared in a crucial stand of 68 for the second wicket with Tom Haines.

After Orr was second out, Haines, returning to the team after being sidelined for a month with a broken hand, went on to score 49 from 59 balls with two fours and two sixes before Lancashire fought back with three wickets in the space of 23 runs as the required run-rate for Sussex began to rise.

Tom Clark contributed 31 in the middle order before he was eighth out on 234 with 86 runs still needed from the last seven overs.

Liam Hurt led the Lancashire bowling with three for 43 from ten overs while Will Williams, Danny Lamb and George Balderson all took two wickets.

Lancashire posted a good score after they won the toss and elected to bat, with Dane Vilas, batting at No 5, high man with 121 off 99 balls with eight fours and six sixes.

George Lavelle and Lamb, batting at Nos 7 and 8, aided in the recovery from 67 for five with fifties, Lavelle scoring 50 off 58 balls and Lamb 57 from 48 balls before both were run out.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice was the most successful Sussex bowling, taking three for 43 from seven overs. Rawlins, the fifth bowler used, was the most expensive of the six bowlers, going for 76 runs in ten wicketless overs.

Lancashire, who prevailed having lost their six previous semi-finals, will meet Kent in the final on September 17.

Kent had a successful run chase of over 300 when they replied to Hampshire’s 310 for nine with 313 for seven in 49 overs. Veteran Darren Stevens, who is being released at the end of the season at age 46, made 84 not out from 65 balls.