Day Three

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Jack Carson’s five-wicket haul wrapped up a simple three-day victory for Sussex as they won on the road for the first time in the Rothesay County Championship this season.

Off spinner Carson found turn, bounce and a bagful of Hampshire wickets as he ripped through three of the four remaining batters to pick up five for 26 – his best of the campaign.

Hampshire were bowled out for 165, and despite Oli Carter falling, Tom Haines and Tom Alsop easily knocked off the 23 runs needed to take them past the winning line before lunch.

Sussex’s third win of their return to Division One came with 20 points, to keep tabs on the leading title contenders.

Hampshire began the day trailing by 29 runs, they had only whittled that down to 15 before Brad Wheal turned Carson around the corner to leg slip.

Dawson took the hosts into a slender lead, his two accompanied by a huge cheer, but just 10 runs later he tried to ride Carson’s turn but tickled behind to John Simpson.

Dawson had been the main hope for Hampshire to test Sussex, but his exit for 48 saw Kyle Abbott edge to slip three balls later.

Henry Crocombe put Hampshire out of their misery when John Turner prodded a short ball to short leg.

Dawson managed to get Carter’s edge, but it was a rare moment of joy as Sussex ticked off the runs in under 15 minutes.

It was a particularly revered victory for the visitors, with strike bowler Ollie Robinson rested with an ankle injury and overseas opener Daniel Hughes absent awaiting the birth of his first child.

Captain John Simpson had noted his side had “punched above expectation” so far this season. They leapfrogged Hampshire with the win and also kept in touching distance of the title pacesetters.

Simpson’s third century of the season, in a 173-run stand with Fynn Hudson-Prentice, was the difference in the match, while Crocombe’s first appearance of the season was a huge success – four explosive wickets in the first innings were followed by a tidy two for 44 in the second.

For Hampshire, it was their first home defeat in the Championship since July 2023, with this only their fourth loss at Utilita Bowl since April 2019.

Although this fixture was the first between the two south coast counties in a decade, Sussex have still only lost once on this ground in 10 red ball outings – 20 years ago.

Hampshire have endured a rollercoaster trio of matches heading into the Vitality Blast portion of the season.

A dismal performance against Nottinghamshire was followed by a sensational victory at Edgbaston, which relighted excitement of a potential title charge, only for a seven session mauling.

Their six batting bonus points in the first block is only better than bottom-side Worcestershire, with only Ben Brown of the regulars to average over 40. Only he and Nick Gubbins have recorded centuries.

They didn’t get a batting point in this match, and only took three points from a disappointing week.

Day Two

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John Simpson’s 18th first-class century put Hampshire on the back foot before a batting collapse put Sussex on the brink of a Rothesay County Championship victory at Utilita Bowl.

Skipper Simpson was superb to record back-to-back centuries, and third of the campaign, as he scored 106 – which included a 173-run stand with 78-maker Fynn Hudson-Prentice.

Sussex claimed a 143-run first-innings lead before six evening wickets tore through Hampshire – as they closed on 114 for six, still behind by 29.

Simpson and Hudson-Prentice had shrugged off a slump on the first evening, after coming together at 83 for five. They blocked, left and survived for 16 overs to close.

The new morning brought overhead conditions seemingly perfect for bowling, but a slow pitch that once you could get in as a batter, you could stick around; and that is what the sixth wicket pair did.

Having been 44 runs behind at the start of the season, they quickly reached parity within an hour with sprightly cricket.

Both reached half-centuries before lunch, Simpson in 111 balls, Hudson-Prentice in 116. Everything they did made the bowling look toiled.

If a wicketless first session was frustrating for Hampshire, the afternoon was unpleasant due to some poor fielding – something that has marred their season with various chances going down in the last few weeks.

Hudson-Prentice was put down by a regulation catch at first slip on 51 and at midwicket on 70 before he was finally pinned lbw as Brad Wheal found success with the new ball.

Jack Carson was dropped on nought at square leg, before taking 18 deliveries to get off the mark, but once he did, he was a fluent partner for Simpson.

Simpson has taken to Division One cricket identically to Division Two. Having not reached three figures in 2023 but pumped out five tons in 2024 to lead promotion before filing two going into this round this year.

There was little surprise he converted once again, this time in 207 deliveries – even less surprising was that he reached the milestone by being dropped while pulling.

Even when Hampshire had thought they had held a catch – Simpson at first slip on 104 – it was clearly a bump ball.

The first day had been headlined by two spells of wickets, another pair of collapses either side of tea proved the rule that this pitch was ripe for collapses.

The last four Sussex wickets fell in 11 balls as James Fuller ended Carson and Simpson’s 40-run stand when Carson was leg before, before the fast bowler castled Nathan McAndrew.

Liam Dawson finished things off by getting Ari Karvelas caught at first slip and Henry Crocombe lbw, which left Sussex three runs shy of a second batting point.

Fletcha Middleton and Mark Stoneman put on 38 in 14 overs to suggest they could bed in, but after Middleton was adjudged leg-before, things turned south for the hosts.

Stoneman, Nick Gubbins and Tom Prest all departed in 13 deliveries. Stoneman tickled behind, Gubbins was unlucky to be lbw to one which stayed very low and Prest missed a straight one.

Ben Brown, unbeaten in the first innings, was bowled by a flighty delivery from Carson to leave Hampshire 90 for five, and still 53 in arrears.

Toby Albert was also bowled by Carson to add to the malaise with a three-day Sussex victory almost inevitable.

Day One

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Henry Crocombe and John Turner demonstrated their winter work with Dale Steyn with whirlwind spells as 15 wickets fell on the first day at Utilita Bowl in the Rothesay County Championship.

Fast bowlers Crocombe and Turner were part of the England Lions squad mentored by South Africa legend Steyn, and coached by England great Andrew Flintoff, over the winter.

Sussex’s Crocombe, on his first appearance of the summer, claimed four for 27 – with his four wickets coming in 11 afternoon deliveries – to dismiss south coast rivals Hampshire for 154.

In reply, Turner ripped through the Sussex middle-order with three scalps in nine evening balls as the visitors slipped to 83 for five, before blocking their way to 110 for five by close – still 44 runs behind.

Hampshire chose to bat on a very green surface, one which would prove to nip and bounce unevenly as the day progressed.

Mark Stoneman lasted four balls before he edged to second slip – the first of five Hampshire ducks. The rest of the host’s top order all got starts, but only Ben Brown would kick on.

Fletcha Middleton, on the back of a match-winning 76 at Trent Bridge, oozed confidence with 34 and dominated a 43-run stand with Nick Gubbins.

But he fell leg-before to Fynn Hudson-Prentice, before Tom Prest cramped himself for room and was caught at second slip for 18 and Gubbins was lbw to Jack Carson’s second delivery.

Liam Dawson began with four, six, four off Carson, but post-lunch Crocombe came alive with a blistering spell.

Crocombe hadn’t played so far this season due to a shoulder injury – which has dogged his recent campaigns – but with a return to fitness tied with Ollie Robinson rested with an ankle problem, he stepped up.

A strong end to last season, having only made his first first-team appearance of the season in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup in July, earned him a place on the Lions tour to South Africa. He only played once, taking a tidy two-for.

He sent Liam Dawson’s leg stumps spearing, before yorking Toby Albert first up. His hat-trick ball was a low full toss, but in his following over, he displaced James Fuller’s middle-stump with one that jagged back.

His fourth wicket in 11 balls saw one rise off a length to take the shoulder of Kyle Abbott’s bat and leap to third slip.

Brown looked unbeatable as he went to 50 in 98 balls, against the team he spent 14 years, but there was little other resistance. James Coles polished off the tail by bowling Brad Wheal and John Turner.

In reply, Sussex’s openers weren’t allowed to settle, with Tom Haines pouched at first slip and Oli Carter caught behind.

But Tom Alsop and Coles put on 63 runs without a great deal of worry before Turner did his best Crocombe impression.

Having gone for 19 runs in his first 17 legal deliveries, Turner produced searing pace to take Alsop’s outside edge from just back of a length.

The out-of-form Tom Clark was squared up to edge to the cordon, before Coles was castled attempting a booming drive. Turner had three wickets in nine balls to put Sussex in trouble.

John Simpson, who was dropped first ball, barely played a shot in anger as he and Hudson-Prentice reached close without further damage, facing 94 balls in their stubborn partnership.