WATCH: Aaron Finch smashes 131 off 79 for Surrey, creates T20 record in England County

Australia's Aaron Finch made an unbeaten 131, the highest score by a Surrey batsman in a Twenty20 match, as his side ended Sussex's unbeaten start to English cricket's Blast tournament with a 52-run win at Hove.

But it might have been a different story for the Australia Twenty20 captain had he not been dropped on just one by Sussex paceman Jofra Archer.

Finch then made Sussex, coached by former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, pay with a blistering 79-ball innings including 10 fours and seven sixes as visitors Surrey piled up 192 for three.

It was a total Sussex never came close to and they were bowled out for 140 in the 18th over.

WATCH: Aaron Finch's 131 off 79 for Surrey in T20 Blast:

Archer is a fine fielder, particularly off his own bowling, so it was a shock when he dropped a gentle return catch after Finch pushed forward uncertainly to the first ball of the second over.

Finch was not in a mood to give a second chance, with even Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, the world's top-ranked T20 bowler, unable to escape punishment as the Australian hit him for two fours and two sixes.

Together with Ollie Pope (23 not out), Finch shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 100 from 50 balls. 

A few days back, the Australian T20I skipper created history in the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) by smashing the highest-ever score in T20Is playing for the Australian side against Zimbabwe.

Finch hit 10 sixes and 16 fours en route to a brutal score of 172 from just 76 balls in Harare as he surpassed his previous best score in the game’s shortest format of 156.

In the same match, Finch also shared in a 223-run stand with opening partner D’Arcy Short, which was the highest partnership in T20I history.

(With PTI inputs)