The old Sussex habit of having one rink badly down was once again their failing at Loose when the first Home Counties League match was lost 124-104 to Kent.

Mathew Ives, Steve Sands, John Gockelen and Simon Pettingel were 10-3 down at ten ends, 20-4 at 15 and lost 27-6 to Mick Millgate.

Over the other five rinks, Sussex had two winners and a near miss when Lee Cooper, Chris Reynolds, Keith Holman and Ian Watson dropped three shots on their last end to lose 21-19 to Jeff Vane. This had been a tight game with Watson just 12-11 down at ten ends and 16-15 at 15.

David Parks, Trevor Monk, John Hooker and Steve Jeapes were 15-7 down at ten ends but won 22-19 over Dave Williams' quartet and Martin Biggleston, Alan Clark, Alan King and Peter Gunston won 25-15 over Roger Howell's four.

Gunston's team scored four shots on their first end but trailed 12-8 at ten.

Holding shots but seldom able to keep them, Roger Rosenberg, Matt Bonnar, Anthony Bull and Leigh Prince lost 21-17 to Gary Smith.

Teenager David Hubbard, on his debut, played well with Andy Smalldridge, Basil Holding and Dave Ovett. From 10-8 up at ten ends the rink slipped to 15-12 down at 15 and lost 21-15 against Duncan Hanmore.

In the corresponding game last year Sussex were pointless. Today Sussex are at Century for a league match against Middlesex.

Sussex under-25s had a good win over Kent at Worthing in the inter-county double fours knock out and go to Wendover on June 24 for possibly two more rounds. Sussex won the title in 1999.

David Hubbard, Kevin Carrie, Tony Clarkson and Adrian Finnie won by nine and Gareth and Gavin Bevan, Matt Ives and Clayton Cosgrove lost by four.

Sussex women Wendy Davies, Freda Linberry and Aimee Truran took part in the three sessions of the England women's trial at Leamington Spa but not one of the three has been invited back to the second trial today.

Davies performed well but did not produce inspirational leadership. Linberry and Truran had some good deliveries during their trial debuts but the selectors have largely stood by the regulars.

Preston's Adrian Finnie, a current England under-25s international, played as a number two in the two England junior trials (each of 15 ends) at New Lount (Leicestershire).

Finnie, 20, whose rink lost both games, admitted: "The green was a touch heavy and it was a bit of a struggle."

The England selectors will be watching Middleton Cup, Home Counties League and under-25s double rink games before selecting the side.

One setback for him was losing the Sussex pairs first round with Ollie Ovett to David Carter and his partner from Newick, who adapted well to the heavy Preston green.