Prior proves a cut above

Matt Prior goes to three figures as Sussex close in on victory over Somerset

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Matt Prior cracked a classy 137 off 123 balls as Sussex Sharks got their NatWest Pro40 challenge off to a winning start with a six-wicket success over Somerset Sabres.

The 26-year-old opener hammered a dozen fours and three sixes to see his side home with two balls to spare after they were set a target of 243 at Arundel Castle.

Former England batsman Marcus Trescothick, who hit 91, was the mainstay of Somerset's 242 for seven, but Prior responded with his first one-day century of the season before a crowd of 5,000.

Prior gave his side an ideal start by dominating an opening stand of 64 with Mike Yardy (20) before Luke Wright (40) joined him to add 99 in 16 overs.

After Alfonso Thomas had Wright caught at wide long-on, skipper Chris Adams joined Prior in a third-wicket stand of 74 in a dozen overs.

Adams (36) fell to Peter Trego in the penultimate over with six needed, and after Prior was bowled off the first ball of the final over from Thomas, Murray Goodwin sealed victory with a cleverly driven boundary.

Wicketkeeper Prior, whose half-century arrived from 43 balls, powered to his century from a further 41 deliveries, compiling a dozen boundaries and two sixes at the expense of spinner Arul Suppiah.

Marcus Trescothick swings to leg during his innings of 91, which spanned just 94 balls

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Trescothick, dropped at slip by Adams off James Kirtley having scored only a single, went on to make Sussex pay by compiling nine fours in his 94-ball vigil.

Sussex put Somerset in and opener Trescothick set his side up for a competitive total by sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 125 in 23 overs with Zander de Bruyn, who finished unbeaten on 70.

Left-arm spinner Yardy struck to eventually end Trescothick's valuable innings by having him caught at short fine-leg as the left-hander attempted to sweep.

Suppiah gave the Sabres impetus in the closing stages of their innings by smashing 30 off just 12 balls with two fours and two sixes.

Suppiah, who hoisted Yardy for successive sixes over wide long-off, was caught at the wicket off medium-pacer Wright, who then bowled Omari Banks for a duck next ball.

Opening bowler Kirtley struck early on with Craig Kieswetter holing out at deep backward square-leg and Chris Liddle held a fine one-handed reflex catch off his own bowling to send back Trego.

Skipper Justin Langer announced himself by hoisting Robin Martin-Jenkins for a huge six over long on but promptly played on to the all-rounder's next ball.