Surrey continued their dismal pre-season campaign as they finished their Pro ARCH Trophy with defeat against Sussex.

A maiden hundred by skipper Michael Brown saw the Brown Caps post 255-4. However, a century from Joe Gatting helped the Sharks knock of the runs to earn victory and fifth place.

In the play-off match for fifth place stand in skipper Michael Brown won the toss and elected to bat, and started well with partner Matthew Spriegel.

The pair batted with real thought and care as they made the use of the time in the middle. Spriegel dominated the scoring and played a few thumping cuts of the front foot as he grew in confidence.

The pair were patient when spin was introduced and were content to take singles as they went to a hundred opening stand. Spriegel went to 50 of 83 balls, but then was run out in the 27th over.

Brown called him through for a single, but Rory Hamilton-Brown stopped the ball with a full length dive and Spriegel was run out for 59.

Brown began to accelerate through the 80's and upped the rate despite looking very tired from lots of running in the heat.

The 41st over saw the powerplay and by this time Murtagh had played quite beautifully for 32 off 44 balls.

But in the second over of the powerplay Murtagh went on the attack and was lbw to Hamilton-Brown.

Brown was still there and went to a maiden hundred for the Brown Caps off 128 balls in the 46th over, it contained six boundaries and a lot of ones and twos.

The very next ball though he was caught trying to hit Chris Liddle out of the ground and departed for 101, the Brown Caps now 219 for three.

In the last few overs it was left to Chris Jordan and debutant Laurie Evans to help the score past 250.

The Sussex reply saw another patient and long opening stand as Joe Gatting and Ed Joyce looked comfortable at the crease.

The Brown Caps opening bowler, Stuart Meaker was struggling with his line bowled a number of wides, which released the pressure on the pair created by a disciplined spell by Chris Jordan at the other end.

Jordan bowled a consistent line and control the run scoring, as he has done throughout the tournament.

The openers took Sussex to 73 for none after 15 overs and did not look in trouble. Then the hundred came up in the 20th over as both openers approached half-centuries. Gatting mixed watchful defence with hard struck boundaries and reached his 50 off 76 balls.

Joyce reached his 50 off 57 balls with a two off Murtaza, but two balls later he departed as Murtaza forced a false sweep shot and the ball lobbed to Evans at cover, the Sharks 125 for one in the 25th over.

Captain Brown was rotating his bowlers to try and unsettle the batsmen and try to get some wickets as 256 was beginning to look a comfortable target.

Gatting helped the Sharks to 150, but he lost his new partner, Hamilton-Brown when Meaker had him caught well be sub Scott Newman on the long-on boundary, the score now 153-2 in 32nd over.

Gatting put his foot down as he struck the spinners out of the ground for three sixes in as many overs to take him to a century, for which he received the man of the match award. He departed in the 41st over when he was caught off Evans on the deep mid-wicket boundary for 110.

By this time the Sharks were cruising with Michael Yardy and Ben Brown finishing off the chase in the 46th over, Brown hitting two sixes to finish off the match in style as the Sharks won by six wickets.

Full match highlights are available on Surrey TV.