Hampshire off to a flier

Hamza Riazuddin roars in for another delivery on his way to figures of 3-15

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Jimmy Adams and Sean Ervine shared an unbroken stand of 110 in 13 overs as Hampshire crushed Sussex by nine wickets at the Rose Bowl.

After reducing the Sharks to a meagre 133 for eight, the hosts eased to their target with 23 balls to spare.

Sussex captain Michael Yardy chose to bat first but never recovered from a shaky start against teenage medium pace bowler Hamza Riazuddin.

Riazuddin dismissed the Sussex top three of Chris Nash, Murray Goodwin and Luke Wright in a devastating opening spell.

The 19-year-old bowled Goodwin for 16 and did the same to Wright with his next ball before having Nash caught in the deep to finish with figures of 3-15 from four overs.

The only partnership of substance in the Sussex innings came from Ed Joyce and West Indian Dwayne Smith.

Smith only returned to Sussex over the weekend after Deccan Chargers decided they did not need him for the final of the Indian Premier League.

Smith and Joyce put on 67 for the fourth wicket with Smith going on to make a top score of 63.

Having faced 46 balls and after hitting a six off Ervine and five fours, he was run out by Dominic Cork in unusual circumstances.

Cork fielded a delivery off his own bowling and his throw to wicket keeper Nic Pothas found Smith out of his crease.

Sussex subsided quickly after that with the inspirational Cork taking 3-30.

Hampshire, watched by a crowd of around 6,000, never looked likely to fail in their quest.

Michael Lumb hit five fours in a rapid 21 before he had his leg stump knocked back by Smith.

Lumb's dismissal proved to be Sussex's only success as Adams and Ervine took control.

Adams reverse swept Will Beer for six and then struck Nash high onto the terraces over mid wicket for another as Hampshire reached 100-1 in only 10 overs.

The century partnership for the second wicket came in 12 overs and although Yardy used seven bowlers, none of them could stem the flow of runs.

Adams finished with 68 not out from 49 balls, while Ervine was unbeaten on 42 from 35.

Dwayne Smith takes the attack to Hampshire on his way to a brisk 63, but it proved in vain for Sussex

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