Essex skipper Ronnie Irani says his side are fired-up to end the Twenty20 Cup group stages in explosive style.

He takes the Eagles to the south coast tonight for a vital southern group showdown with the Sussex Sharks, knowing a place in the competition's quarter-finals is up for grabs.

And a victory would ensure that Essex have the extra bonus of home advantage for the quarter-finals when a packed Ford County Ground would be sure to cheer their heroes on into the finals.

Stunning back-to-back triumphs under the Chelmsford floodlights at the end of last week over the Middlesex Crusaders and Kent Spitfires placed Irani's troops at the summit of the southern group table and he is now ready for the final shoot-out at Hove.

"We're certainly fired up for it," he said.