Sussex defeated after incredible triple century for Hampshire batsman

Half-centuries in both innings for Sussex’s Harrison Ward were overshadowed by an incredible triple-hundred for Hampshire’s Tom Prest as the home side won by a innings and five runs in this week’s 2nd XI Championship match at the Ageas Bowl nursery ground.

Having been inserted at the toss, Sussex made 376 all out. Ward top-scored with 86 and Tom Clark – playing the first two days of the match alongside Delray Rawlins before joining the first team – made 57.

Five other Sussex batsmen scored at least 25, but none were able to convert these starts into big scores.

Prest – an 18-year-old from Dorset – has no such difficulty. Opening the batting, he batted for almost nine hours on his way to 303 from 414 balls. Tom Scriven was his main support, making 117 and adding 258 for the third wicket with Prest, as Hampshire racked up a mammoth 572 for 8 declared.

Sussex spin-trio, Will Beer, Joe Pocklington and Archie Lenham took two wickets each. Left-armer Pocklington as the pick of the visitor’s attack taking 2 for 64 from 23.4 tidy overs. Lenham was the man to eventually get both Prest and Scriven.

Requiring 196 to make Hampshire bat again, Sussex got off to a solid start in their second innings. Ward (64) and Marcus Campopiano (29) put on 86 for the first wicket, but when Campopiano was caught behind for 29, the innings collapsed.

Sussex lost their next nine wickets for 105 run and were bowled out for 191, with Mason Crane taking 5 for 36.  

Sussex’s next fixture in the 2nd XI Championship is against Essex at Blackstone Academy Ground, sponsored by Hurstpierpoint College, starting on Tuesday 18th May.

A full scorecard for this match can be found here.