Hampshire 158-7 lost to Sussex 161-2 by eight wickets
Luke Wright scored his second fifty in a week to keep up Sussex’s 100 per cent win record in the Vitality Blast as they thrashed Hampshire by eight wickets.
Opener Wright never looked in any trouble, and refused to give his opponents a sniff, as he struck 68 off 53 balls as he put on 96 with Laurie Evans, who also scored a brilliant half century.
Having already beaten Essex and Glamorgan in the opening two rounds, Sussex looked confident chasing 158.
Phil Salt and Wright attacked the task with a mixture of quick running and timely boundaries.
Salt was deceived by a brilliantly disguised slower ball from Gareth Berg but the let up didn’t come for the home bowlers, with 53 scored off the powerplay.
Wright, on the back of an 88 against Glamorgan, arrowed a pair of impeccable cover drives off Kyle Abbott, although was involved in a controversial moment when Mujeeb Ur Raham thought he had bowled him but after a long delay was given a reprieve.
The former England international reached his 35th format fifty off 40 balls, before he found Chris Wood on the long-on boundary.
Evans, who collected a classy 55 not out, guided Sussex home with 10 balls to spare to leave Hampshire winless from their opening two Vitality Blast fixtures.
Earlier, Hampshire were stuck in by Sussex skipper Wright on a wicket that never really came on to the batsmen.
James Vince promoted himself back up to open, alongside Colin Munro, and took the attack to the Sussex bowlers – drilling Jofra Archer and David Wiese for three clean fours in each of their opening two overs.
The Hampshire captain played one shot too many in his 16-ball 30, when his aggressive drive swirled high to cover.
Munro attempted to keep the high run-rate going as he slapped a straight drive for six, to take the hosts to 59 for one at the end of the powerplay.
But the runs and boundaries dried up, with 15 balls without the ball reaching the ropes, as Sam Northeast joined Munro.
The former Kent batsman grew in confidence by taking Wiese for three successive fours but like Vince overhit one extra ball – as he found Archer at long off off Danny Briggs’ bowling.
Rilee Rossouw smashed a six down the ground but was caught on the midwicket boundary attempting a slog sweep next ball.
Briggs then claimed his third scalp, Munro caught at long off for a scrappy 30, as he ended with figures of three for 29, spoiled somewhat by a six and four from his final over.
The backend of the Hampshire innings proved a battle against an experienced and wily Sussex attack with only 38 coming from the last five overs – despite Tom Alsop’s battling unbeaten 35.
The main menace was Archer, who ended with figures of three for 26, with a yorker bowling Berg and a square leg catch getting rid of Lewis McManus.
