Cricket: White keeps Sussex anchored

An unbeaten 75 by Giles White steered Hampshire to their third win of the season by three wickets against bottom-of-the-table Sussex at Southampton yesterday.

White took no chances but was never in trouble on an easy-paced pitch. He and Will Kendall shared an unbroken 91-run partnership to deflate Sussex's hopes of a win which might have lifted them off the bottom of the table.

Hampshire had begun the day needing 223 but lost their prolific Australian opener in the first over. Matthew Hayden edged a catch to the wicketkeeper Peter Moores to bring White in to join Jason Laney. The pair took Hampshire to 112 before Laney lofted a catch to deep mid-off.

White took over the lead role and with Paul Whitaker saw Hampshire to 169 before Whitaker was sharply caught at slip. By then it was too late for Sussex as White and Kendall sailed serenely to victory.

Worcestershire needed only 100 minutes yesterday to gain their fifth win of the season when they defeated Derbyshire by 10 wickets at New Road, despite unexpected resistance from the visitors in a century partnership for the ninth wicket by Karl Krikken and Simon Lacey.