Zuiderent guides Sussex to victory over Hampshire

Sussex had a comfortable passage into the Benson and Hedges cup quarter-finals thanks to a century from their Dutch batsman Bas Zuiderent and a hat-trick from their acting captain James Kirtley.

Sussex rattled up an imposing 255 for 7 from their 50 overs after choosing to bat first in front of a crown approaching 2000 for the second match to be staged at the Rose Bowl.

Zuiderent and overseas signing Murray Goodwin put on 144 in 28 overs for the second wicket after the early loss of Richard Montgomerie. Goodwin made 87 which included 13 fours and after his departure Zuiderent, a twenty-three-year-old, right-handed batsman carried on the good work to record his first century in English cricket and the first to be scored at the new ground.

Later in the innings Zuiderent and Will House added a further 76 in only 9 overs for the fourth wicket. For Hampshire, Alan Mullally was the only bowler to pose any problems, taking two for 25 from his ten overs.

When Hampshire batted they never looked like overhauling the Sussex total despite a valiant 77 not out from their captain Robin Smith.

Smith watched from one end as wickets tumbled at the other with Hampshire losing their last seven wickets for a meagre 37.The crucial over of the innings was bowled by Kirtley who dismissed Alex Morris and his younger brother Zack and Adrian Aymes with the last three balls of his eighth over.

Hampshire were all out for 195, 60 runs adrift of their target giving Sussex their third win of the competition and leaving Hampshire without a win in the Benson and Hedges Cup zonal stage for the first time since 1980.