Sussex ease past Nottinghamshire

Sussex 197 for 6 (Goodwin 59, Hopkinson 51) beat Nottinghamshire 195 for 9 (Patel 61*) by four wickets
Scorecard

A fifth-wicket partnership of 103 between Murray Goodwin and Carl Hopkinson set Sussex on course for a leisurely four-wicket victory against Nottinghamshire, as they progressed to the third round of the C&G Trophy.

Set 196 to win, Sussex endured an early alarm as Ryan Sidebottom made the new ball talk, removing both Ian Ward and Mike Yardy - the conqueror of Bangladesh - for ducks in his first over. Mark Ealham then added the scalps of Chris Adams for 21 and Matt Prior, flashing to backward point, for 28, as Sussex slipped to 71 for 4.

But if Nottinghamshire had a faint glimmer of hope, then it was swiftly snuffed out by Goodwin and Hopkinson. Both fell with victory in sight, but Johannes van der Wath slapped a six and a four in quick succession to seal the match with three overs to spare.

The game would have been a cakewalk for Sussex had it not been for an extraordinary blitzkrieg from Nottinghamshire's No. 9, Samit Patel, who cracked three fours and four sixes in a 52-ball 61 not out. His exploits rescued Nottinghamshire from a parlous 111 for 8, but it was not enough. Nottinghamshire's only other score of note was a classy 50 from their captain, Stephen Fleming.