Contributions throughout as seconds win Trophy opener

Sussex started their Second Eleven Trophy campaign with a thumping 114-run win against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl on Wednesday.

Contributions from all of Sussex’s top six helped Sussex to 294 in their fifty overs. Luke Wells top-scored with a run-a-ball 55. He put on 74 with fellow opener Tom Haines (30).

Harrison Ward (41) and Delray Rawlins (44) combined for the next major partnership of the innings, adding 62 for the third wicket, to take Sussex to 180 for three from 31 overs.

Both batsmen fell in quick succession during the next three overs, but captain Will Beer (30) and Durham MCCU graduate Joe Cooke (49) got the innings back on track with their partnership of 60.

Cooke was the penultimate man to be dismissed as the tail looked to add runs quickly late in the innings, and when Will Collard was run out off the last ball of the innings Sussex were all out.

Sussex quickly reduced Hampshire to 28 for 2 in reply, with Abi Sakande striking in the seventh over before Leo Cammish ran out Joe Weatherley for a duck from the very next ball.

Ollie Soames (65) and reality-TV star Ian Holland added 99 for the third wicket, but once Holland was lbw to Luke Wells for 26, Hampshire’s chase fell apart.

Wells and Sakande ended with two wickets each while Rawlins finished with 4-12 as he cleaned up the Hampshire lower order. When Cooked had last man Ajeet Dale stumped, the hosts were all out for 180 with five balls of the 43rd over remaining.

Sussex continue their Second Eleven Trophy campaign on Monday against Kent at Preston Nomads.