Opening pair Michael Di Venuto and Richard Montgomerie both made centuries and Umer Rashid was rewarded for some intelligent spin bowling with the key wicket of Alan Wells, and Tony Cottey even got in on the act with a smart catch as the county beat Kent by 49 runs in the day-night friendly at Hove.

Di Venuto and Montgomerie may come from opposite ends of the cricket world, but they did more than enough to suggest that together they can solve a conundrum that has plagued Sussex in limited overs cricket for too long.

The county tried eight different partnerships at the top of the order in the one-day league last season without much success, but this new combination produced 200 reasons to suggest they may be the answer.

Montgomerie played hardly any one-day cricket in his last season with Northants while DiVenuto was getting his first taste of English conditions while still trying to recover from a 28-hour journey from Australia which only ended when he flew in on Tuesday morning after five stopovers.

They started cautiously and after ten overs there were only 38 runs on the board.

But once they had seen off opening pair Martin McCague and Julian Thompson, the Sussex pair cut loose in devastating style against a weak Kent attack.

Di Venuto showed his immense strength on the leg side by hoisting James Ford into the pavillion for the first of two sixes to bring up his 50 off 52 balls.

He then accelerated to reach his century off just 44 more deliveries with ten boundaries.

Anything short or a fraction off line was savagely dealt with and Montgomerie, after a quiet start, soon picked up the tempo, using his feet well to twice sweep off-spinner Darren Scott to the boundary as he grew in confidence.

DiVenuto rode his luck and was dropped twice before reaching his century in the 31st over. He was eventually deceived by a slower ball from Kent captain Matthew Fleming, but departed to a standing ovation from the suitably impressed members.

Montgomerie duly went to three figures with six boundaries before he was caught off a top edge.

Afew lusty blows from Chris Adams and Sussex had posted an impressive target in the 45 overs contest.

Kent's reply began badly. The lights were on but nobody was at home when Trevor Ward was yorked by James Kirtley and Robin Martin-Jenkins had Ed Smith caught behind trying an expansive drive.

Wells, back at Hove for the first time since his move to Kent, and David Fulton added 86 in 12 overs but Wells hoisted Rashid to deep square leg just after reaching a fine 50.

Fulton and Matthew Walker added 59 for the fourth wicket but when Walker was caught behind the asking rate was up to eight an over and Sussex had victory in the bag.

Steve Marsh holed out to deep square-leg and in the same over by Adams, Fulton, who had held Kent's innings together with 76, was run out after some good work by Haywood.

Adams struck twice again in the same over, pinning James Ford as he played across the line and bowling McCague before Kirtley applied the coup de grace with 7.4 overs to spare.

Kent won toss

SUSSEX

Montgomerie c Thompson b Ford 110

Di Venuto b Fleming 116

Adams not out 23

Martin-Jenkins not out 0

Extras: 13

TOTAL (2 wkts) 262

Fall: 1-200, 2-255

Bowling: McCague 9-1-37-0; Thompson 9-0-43-0; Ford 8-0-54-1; Scott 9-0-46-0; Fleming 7-0-38-1; House 3-0-37-0.

KENT

Ward b Kirtley 8

Smith c Humphries b Martin-Jenkins 18

Fulton run out 76

Wells c Haywood b Rashid 50

Walker c Humphries b Edwards 23

Fleming c Cottey b Haywood 5

Marsh c Di Venuto b Adams 1

House lbw b Adams 9

McCague b Adams 0

Ford not out 1

Thompson b Kirtley 2

Extras: 20

TOTAL (42.2 overs) 213

Fall: 1-11, 2-35, 3-121, 4-180, 5-186, 6-186, 7-203, 8-203, 9-207.

Bowling: Martin-Jenkins 9-1-32-1, Kirtley 7.2-0-42-2, Edwards 9-0-41-1, Haywood 8-0-35-1, Rashid 6-0-39-1, Adams 3-0-16-3.

Sussex won by 49 runs

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