Bopara cracked 144 runs off just 49 balls, including 12 sixes and 14 fours, as he wreaked havoc on the Middlesex 2’s bowlers. The middle-order batter came in with Sussex already having scored 67 runs off the first four-and-a-half overs of the match. He unfurled his onslaught in the eighth over of the match, hitting Josh de Caires for three consecutive sixes.

He reached his half-century with another six, this time off Toby Greatwood, which he followed up with another boundary from the next ball.

The premium over of Bopara’s innings, however, came when De Caires was brought back on to bowl the 15th over. By that point, Sussex had already reached 225-3. Bopara hit the first ball for four before smashing the following two for six, targeting the area down the ground. After a no-ball and four byes, Bopara hit all of the final three balls of the over for boundaries, sandwiching two sixes with a four.

He reached his hundred in the following over and hit Ethan Bamber for four consecutive fours as Sussex advanced to their monstrous total.

Bopara was finally out off the penultimate ball of the innings from Max Harris, bringing to an end his outrageous innings. A wide off the final ball brought Sussex up to 324-7, averaging more than 16 runs per over in their innings. Bopara’s strike rate finished on a whopping 293.8, Tom Alsop the next highest scorer with 55 off 27 balls.

Sussex will play their first game of the T20 Blast against Somerset at Hove on Friday (May 26).

Watch: Ravi Bopara smashes 38-run over in scintillating ton

A huge score from our 2nd XI against Middlesex 2nd XI this afternoon! 🤯

Ravi Bopara top scored with 144 including 14 fours and 12 sixes as we hit 324-7 from our 20 overs. 🚀

Middlesex have just started their chase – head to the website for the live scorecard and clips. 🦈

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 23, 2023