Sam Robson, Joe Cracknell crack Sussex with punishing stand

Sam Robson and Joe Cracknell shared a blistering stand of 144 in 111 balls as Middlesex sped to victory over Sussex in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Lord's.

Robson, in his benefit year with the Seaxes struck a run a ball 89, with 14 fours and a six, while Cracknell also cleared the ropes and hit 12 boundaries in his 78 as the hosts chased down a target of 256 with 25 balls to spare, despite 3 for 48 for Henry Crocombe.

Earlier, Sussex's total of 255-9 was built around half centuries from Jack Carson (73 from 58) and Fynn Hudson-Prentice (58 in 73). Noah Cornwell returned 3-50 while 18-year-old Jamie Feldman, making his List-A debut took a wicket with his second ball on route to figures of 2-36.

Middlesex seized the initiative early thanks to Toby Roland-Jones' double strike, Tom Haines caught at mid-on before Danial Ibrahim was trapped in front.

Hudson-Prentice's innings got off to a bizarre start when a quick single saw a shy at the stumps which hit the non-striker Tom Clark, the ricochet carrying the ball to the fence.

The all-rounder almost played on to a ball from Cornwell, swatting the ball away from danger, but a lovely off-drive soon had him motoring, a Roland-Jones delivery nonchalantly flicked over the short boundary for six.

Feldman then made a dramatic entrance, having Clark caught by skipper Ben Geddes and he struck for a second time to cut short Sussex skipper John Simpson's breezy 22.

Hudson-Prentice passed 50 in 61 balls, sharing a stand of 52 with Oli Carter before being superbly caught by Jack Davies and when Cornwell ended Carter's promising innings three runs later the visitors were 152-6.

The fact they batted out their overs was down almost entirely to Carson's splendid innings. The all-rounder ruthlessly exploited the short boundary, endangering occupants of the Mound Stand on four occasions as he sprinted to 50 at more than a run a ball before finally perishing caught at cover in the penultimate over.

By then Feldman had unfurled another party piece, brilliantly running out Danny Lamb with a direct hit.

Middlesex lost De Caires lbw to Ari Karvelas early in the chase, but Robson and Cracknell responded with a boundary blitz, the former clubbing one from Hudson-Prentice over the ropes as well as creaming several fours effortlessly through the covers.

Carson relieved the quicks only to be swept twice to the ropes by Cracknell, who followed that by dispatching one from Crocombe into the stands as 93 came from the powerplay.

Cracknell's ninth four took him to 50 in 33 balls and Robson's half-century took only three more as the pair forged on.

The Durham University graduate took a liking to the spin of Archie Lennon too, cutting successive balls behind square, and it needed Lamb to end his revelry courtesy of Haines's catch on the square leg fence.

While Robson became more circumspect, Geddes picked up the baton, clearing the ropes and driving Lamb to the cover fence, reaching 30 before Crocombe pegged back his off stump.

When Robson followed him to the pavilion seven balls later courtesy of a magnificent diving catch by Lamb at mid-on there were jitters in the home dressing-room.

Davies cleared the ropes only to perish to the next ball and with the visitors employing three slips runs slowed to a trickle.

Hollman though steadied the ship with a mature unbeaten 30 to see the hosts over the line.