Sussex launched their totesport League campaign with victory over Derbyshire yesterday but for the second day running their supporters were treated to a heart-stopping finish.

Chasing a rain-adjusted target of 205 in 32 overs, the Scorpions never gave up the ghost and needed five off the final ball with their last wicket pair at the crease. Tom Lungley drove it towards long on looking for the boundary which would have earned his side a tie but Tim Ambrose made a sprawling dive on the rope to secure a two-run victory.

Such a tight finish had looked unlikely when Derbyshire lost top-scorer Hassan Adnan for 59 with six overs remaining and 69 still needed but Graeme Welch smashed 41 off just 27 balls, including three towering sixes, and with ten balls left Derbyshire needed 12 and were suddenly favourites.

But acting captain James Kirtley took a full-length diving catch at mid off to end Welch's heroics before bowling an outstanding final over which began with the Phantoms needing nine to win.

Matt Prior had earlier launched his bid to break into England's one-day side with an impressive 79 in Sussex's 254-8 off 45 overs. Prior resumed the productive partnership he forged with Ian Ward last season as Sussex's openers compiled a stand of 118 in 20 overs.

The 22-year-old prefers to try to dictate to the bowlers in one-day cricket but yesterday he was content to play the anchor role while Ward went for his shots.

They had 77 on the board after 15 overs but managed to accelerate the scoring rate after the fielding restrictions were lifted. Welch and Kevin Dean offered too much width with the new ball and Ward, in particular, drove and occasionally pulled them with impunity.

He struck nine boundaries in his fifth one-day half-century for Sussex off just 47 balls and it was a surprise when off-spinner Ant Botha lured him down the pitch and beat him in the flight.

Prior hit a free-hit from Dean onto the top deck of the pavilion but for the most part was content to bide his time until the bad deliveries came along.

After Mike Yardy sliced a drive to backward point, Murray Goodwin provided most of the attacking impetus but Prior looked to be easing his way to a century when Goodwin sent him back at the non-striker's end and he was beaten by Michael Di Venuto's direct hit from cover. He hit six fours and faced 111 deliveries.

After Goodwin departed for 48 from 41 balls Sussex lost momentum as the ball got soft and four wickets fell in five overs in the pursuit of quick runs. But Luke Wright's 17-ball cameo at the end took the total past 250 and included a massive straight six off Botha which landed on top of the Gilligan Stand.

Wright made double hundred in the second team on Friday but bowling remains his strongest suit and he did not let Sussex down when Kirtley, leading the side because Chris Adams had a frozen shoulder, threw him the new ball.

He found just enough away movement to unseat Jon Moss and Chris Bassano with successive deliveries in the sixth over and when dangerman Di Venuto gloved a pull off Robin Martin-Jenkins in the 11th it was always going to be hard for Derbyshire with the light worsening.

Adnan kept Derbyshire in contention with 59 off 61 balls before becoming the second victim in successive overs for Mushtaq Ahmed. Welch then ensured those supporters who stayed on got their money's worth.

April 25, 2005