Sussex's supporting cast fluffed their lines at Hove yesterday as the county produced a disappointing batting performance in their defeat by West Indies A.

They lost their last eight wickets for 39 in 16 overs and were bowled out for 124 on a slow pitch of variable bounce. There were one or two alarms for the tourists along the way before they squeezed home by three wickets with 3.3 overs to spare.

Coach Peter Moores was not impressed. He said: "I hope some of the guys realise what an opportunity they have missed. This was a chance for several of them to stake their claim and put pressure on the guys in the first team, but we batted poorly and there is no getting away from that.

"I thought we bowled quite well, it was a good comeback from us in the field. But it was always going to be hard defending such a small total."

Sussex had looked well placed after 20 overs. Opener Dominic Clapp, one of four left-handers in the top six, having shared a stand of 48 for the second wicket with Will House after the early loss of Michael Yardy who was caught behind chasing a ball well outside his off stump.

House played across the line at Marlon Black, but Clapp and Tony Cottey had put on 30 for the third wicket when the opener was caught behind for 43, driving loosely at Tino Best.

The rot well and truly set in after he departed. Bas Zuiderent was yorked by slow left-armer Sulieman Benn and then Cottey, who was captain for the day, was run out when he was sent back by Jamie Carpenter after pushing the ball into the off side looking for a single. Darren Ganga ran round from cover and left Cottey stranded with his throw.

The procession continued when Best, one of three quicks used by the West Indies, had Carpenter leg before. Andrew Hodd, one of two debutants in the Susses side, was leg before to Benn swishing across the line, Carl Hopkinson drove paceman Jermaine Lawson straight to cover and the other debutant Jeremy Green was bowled by Benn's quicker ball.

The innings was all over in the 36th over when Lawson picked up his third wicket by bowling Jason Lewry.

To their credit, Sussex's bowlers made the visitors work hard for their second tour win.

Michael Yardy shared the new ball with Lewry and bowled ten accurate overs while Lewry bowled Devon Smith, who played against the county on the pre-season tour of Grenada, with one which swung late.

Mark Robinson, playing his first game of the season for the first team, had Donovan Pagan leg before in his first over and returned to bowl Benn and Sussex gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Will House had Dwayne Bravo caught off a mis-timed drive before bowling skipper Ganga, who had laboured 30 overs over his 29.

Cottey removed Ronako Morton and Keith Hibbert in successive overs with his off-spin, his first success coming courtesy of a nice catch by Hodd who kept impressively on his debut, but there was no opportunity for leg-spinner Green which might not have pleased his father, Sussex chairman David Green, too much.

SCORES: Sussex 124 (Clapp 43, House 28, Benn 3-23, Lawson 3-29), West Indies A 125-7 (Ganga 29, Bravo 27, Cottey 2-19, Robinson 2-19, House 2-27.