Ambrose shines in Sussex success

Sussex 229-5 Lancashire 91 Sussex win by 138 runs

A raw Sussex youngster helped send the one-time one-day kings Lancashire slithering to their second-lowest total in the competition this season and one of their heaviest defeats in the League under the floodlights here last night.

The teenaged wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose made his senior debut in this competition at the beginning of the week and by last night was looking a seasoned pro. Having contributed a fine half century he then donned the gloves and claimed the first catch of his budding career in the third over.

By then Lancashire had already lost opener Glen Chapple to a brilliant slip catch by Chris Adams who took it left-handed with the ball travelling like a shell. But Ambrose had only just started. A superb stumping a few overs later to account for Tim Roberts really put the skids under Lancashire and gave Mark Robinson the first of his three wickets.

Ambrose also did his bit with the bat after Sussex captain Adams had won the toss. In only his second appearance for Sussex he improved fourfold on his batting. The 18-year-old and Richard Montgomerie led Lancashire a far from merry dance while they plundered 99 for the first wicket.

As befits a novice, Ambrose was duly deferential for a while, allowing his senior partner to claim centre stage, but as his confidence grew so did his rate of scoring. And he did not appear fazed by the unexpected departure of Montgomerie, who holed out just after reaching his third consecutive fifty.

On went Ambrose, but with a maiden hundred looking on the cards he was called for an impossible second run by Murray Goodwin and had to make do with the glory of a first half century instead.