On the day Will House ended his career with a suitable flourish, the player who has effectively replaced him offered further evidence of his growing importance to the Sussex side.

Kevin Innes ripped the heart out of Hampshire's batting in last night's National League game at Hove, taking four wickets for two runs in 12 deliveries as the county eased themselves off the bottom of Division Two.

Innes, who joined the county from Northamptonshire in May, is due to discuss a long-term deal in the next few days so a career-best one-day return of 4-26 could not have been better timed.

During his short time with the county Innes's bowling has been transformed. Before heading south he struggled to consistently get the ball to move away from right-handers so it will have given him extra satisfaction last night when three of his victims were caught behind following balls that swung late at pace.

At 73-3 in the 17th over on a pitch which had more carry than many at Hove this season, Hampshire were well placed to post at least a competitive total.

But they lost their last six wickets for just 15 runs in six overs and for once the struggling team wearing black was not Sussex.

They made light work of their target of 127 with Murray Goodwin hitting a superb unbeaten 76 off 92 balls with 12 fours and a six, the highest score by a Sussex batsman in the League this season.

Fittingly, though, it was House who finished things off with a huge six on to the pavilion roof off Jimmy Adams to secure a seven-wicket win with 19.5 overs to spare. He departed through a guard of honour formed by his team-mates as it was announced that this was his last game for the county.

Innes had sparked Hampshire's slide in the 30th over when Will Kendall lost his off stump trying to run him backward of point.

Dimi Mascerenhas followed three balls later and Innes struck twice in three deliveries in his next over to remove Shaun Udal and Ian Brunnschweiler, all three to catches by wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose.

Hampshire had recovered well from the loss of pinch-hitter James Hamblin who holed out in the first over to deep mid-wicket. Neil Johnson and Jason Laney put on 55 in nine overs although it was no surprise that Southampton-born Billy Taylor applied the brakes against the county who once rejected him.

A fired-up Taylor had Johnson superbly caught at backward point by substitute Carl Hopkinson with his fourth ball before a quicker ball induced a mis-timed by Laney.

It was a struggle for the Hawks after that. John Francis was bowled by Mark Davis attempting a late cut and the off-spinner struck again when Adams mis-timed a sweep after a stand of 37 in ten overs with Kendall had briefly hinted at a Hampshire recovery.

Innes then got to work, leaving James Kirtley to wrap up the innings in the 33rd over when he bowled Lawrence Prittipaul.

Sussex's reply got off to the worst possible start when Bas Zuiderent was strangled down the leg side by Mascerenhas off the first ball. Jamie Carpenter followed an awayswinger in the all-rounder's next over and the hosts were 5-2.

But Chris Adams and Murray Goodwin relished the opportunity afforded by one of the quickest one-day pitches at Hove this season and a lightning-fast outfield to play attacking shots with confidence.

Goodwin hit three successive boundaries off James Hamblin to reach his first League 50 of the season while a pull off Mascerenhas sailed into the pavilion.

Adams, too, feasted on anything overpitched with two successive cover driven fours off James Tomlinson the highlights as the third wicket pair put on 95 in 20 overs to effectively win the match.

Adams became Mascerenhas's third victim when he returned to the attack to win a leg before verdict, but at least that allowed House to bow out with a flourish.