One-Day Cup: Hampshire beat Sussex by nine runs in epic contest

One-Day Cup holders Hampshire clung on to win an epic game against Sussex by just nine runs.

Sussex looked on course to chase a testing 356 thanks to a record sixth-wicket partnership of 232 between David Wiese (171) and captain Ben Brown (64).

But they lost 5-11 in the closing overs as Mason Crane (3-55) and Kyle Abbott (3-64) helped dismiss them for 346.

Centuries from Tom Alsop (124) and Aiden Markram (130) in a 184-run stand earlier helped Hampshire post 355-5.

Hampshire's sixth win in seven games extends their lead of the South Group to four points while Sussex's second defeat in six games saw them miss the chance to move joint top.

Having narrowly beaten Essex by one wicket at Chelmsford on Tuesday, Sussex were set to win another nail-biting run-chase as Wiese and Brown helped them recover from a perilous 104-5.

They put together Sussex's third-highest partnership for any wicket in List A cricket in 26 overs to bring them within 21 runs of victory with 18 balls remaining.

But Brown fell first to spinner Crane and then Abbott dismissed Wiese and former Hampshire bowler Danny Briggs in the space of three balls.

Leg-spinner Crane sent down seven successive dot balls, including the last two wickets of Will Beer and Mir Hamza, to snatch victory.

It was tough to take for Sussex after all-rounder Wiese's seemingly match-winning career-best innings off 126 balls had included 14 fours and nine sixes.

Earlier Hampshire opener Alsop registered his second century in the competition this season to go alongside an unbeaten 130 against Glamorgan.

Markram, who will join up with South Africa's World Cup squad later this month, scored his first ton in Hampshire colours off just 87 balls.