Report & Reaction: Sussex Sharks v Hampshire Men, Metro Bank One Day Cup

Metro Bank One-Day Cup men’s competition – Group B. Hampshire 383-9, Sussex 332 (48.5 overs). Hampshire won by 51 runs.

By Paul Weaver, ECB Reports Network supported by Rothesay

Hampshire’s Toby Albert struck six sixes from as many deliveries as he powered his side to a total of 383 for nine in their men’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup match against the Sussex Sharks at Hove.

It was Hampshire’s second-best score in List A cricket, beaten only by their 396 for five against Kent at Beckenham in 2022, and equalled the highest score in the competition this season. It also brought them their fourth victory.

The Sharks chased bravely, led by Charlie Tear’s sublime 94-ball 111, but were beaten by 51 runs.

It was as if Albert was paying tribute to the great Sir Garfield Sobers, who died last month just 11 days short of his 90^th birthday. But while Sobers famously made his 36 off one Malcolm Nash, over Albert’s effort was spread over two overs, with two sixes off Nantes Oosthuizen followed by four maximums in the following over, bowled by Ollie Kirtley, after Jake Lehmann had faced the first two balls.

At one point Hampshire were 225 without loss with both openers, Sussex old boy Ali Orr and the clearly gifted 18-year-old Ben Mayes, making centuries. Mayes was making his first ODC appearance of the season.

Orr came to his previous home ground with a best score of 31 in the competition this season. But here he made his fifth List A century, scoring a run-a-ball 105 with 14 fours and a six.

Mayes’ 109, his maiden List A century, came from 115 deliveries, with a dozen fours and a six. When the pair raised the hundred partnership from 92 balls, a total of over 400 seemed possible.

But the 200 came up from 189 deliveries, and there was no acceleration until Albert’s brutal 86 from 37 balls, with five fours and eight sixes, although he was badly dropped on 21. There was then a thumping cameo from Eddie Jack, who hit 20 from five balls, including a vast straight six over the sightscreen on the north end of the ground before he gave Ollie Kirtley the second of his first three wickets in professional cricket.

But Kirtley’s ten overs went for 95, and Oosthuizen’s eight cost 79, and the two youngsters also bowled the majority of the 20 wides sent down by the Sharks.

That set Sussex a record chase, beating the 339 they required against Lancashire at Hove last year. They made a poor start when Tom Haines and Oli Carter fell cheaply.

But Tear’s timing was sweet as he reached his third fifty in the campaign from 40 balls, with eight fours. Then he hit an eye-catching inside-out six over extra cover off spinner Andrew Neal. At halfway, Sussex, on 146-2, were ahead of Hampshire.

Tear’s other six (in addition to his 13 fours) was swatted over square-leg off Ollie Williams and crashed into the LED scoreboard on the east side of the ground. But next ball, attempting another maximum, he holed out to long-on.

There was some determined hitting from Jack Leaning (92) and Dan Ibrahim (55), but Sussex fell well short.

Russell Domingo, Hampshire head coach: “It was a great batting performance. I was very pleased for Ali [Orr] and for Ben Mayes, who has just come back into the team from The Hundred.

“And then Toby Albert’s finishing at the back was incredible. When it came to the bowling, we were a bit hamstrung because Sharma pulled up injured. But we fought hard, and I was happy with the performance.

“You don’t often lose a game when one guy gets 86 off 37 balls. It was a phenomenal innings. I thought Charlie Tear batted really well for them and his partnership with Jack Leaning kept us on our toes.”

James Kirtley, Sussex bowling coach: “We were always close, and at the 25-over mark we were still in it.

“But we were a few wickets down, and it’s hard with the main batting unit, your top five or six, gone.

“But we had some positives with the way Charlie Tear and Jack Leaning and Dan Ibrahim batted, and in general the young players have stood up pretty well in the tournament.”