Sussex make light work of win

Sussex moved into the top half of the first division table after securing their third County Championship win of the season today. They needed just 56 minutes to complete an eight-wicket victory over pre-season title favourites Somerset at Hove.

Their win had been set up by a first-wicket stand of 201 between Chris Nash and Ed Joyce on the third day after Sussex had been set 272 to win. Nash, who resumed on 111 after completing his first century of the season, seemed in a rush to complete a quick victory as he took boundaries off Charl Willoughby and Steve Kirby, who opened the bowling for Somerset.

Nash moved to 120 off 174 balls with his 16th four, a superbly timed back-foot force off Kirby which sped to the cover boundary. But he perished to the next delivery, although he could hardly do anything about a ball from Kirby which barely rose above ankle height as it clattered into his off stump. Nevertheless, Nash moved onto 656 Championship runs, five more than Joyce, after six games.

Nash had added 35 in 10.2 overs with Luke Wells and, although cloud cover continued to encourage the Somerset seamers, Sussex slowly whittled away at their target. Goodwin drove successive deliveries through the covers off Gemaal Hussain to get the target down to single figures and then straight-drove Willoughby up the slope for successive fours to complete back-to-back home wins for his side.

Goodwin finished unbeaten on 27 and Wells was 32 not out at the close.