Sussex have given their most loyal fans a thrilling appetiser for the new season.

They tied their second pre-season friendly against Kent as scores finished level on 197 with both teams having lost nine wickets in the 50 overs match.

Sussex needed eight to win off the final over from medium pacer Matthew Walker.

After Jason Lewry had taken a single off the second ball, a cover-driven boundary by James Kirtley and then a single raised his side's hopes.

Lewry was unable to score off the penultimate delivery but he firmly played the final ball to long on to allow Sussex to tie the scores.

A mis-field by Ian Flanagan presented an opportunity for the last pair to go through for the winning run, but hesitation let Kent off the hook.

Tim Ambrose (43) and Richard Montgomerie (18) gave Sussex a solid start with an opening stand of 63 in 17 overs before Ambrose was caught at the wicket off Peter Trego.

Montgomerie also became one of three victims for Trego when trapped leg before, and Baz Zuiderent (27) and Michael Yardy (21) had added 42 for the third wicket when Zuiderent was run out by a direct hit from James Tredwell.

This triggered a slide with Matt Prior falling lbw to Tredwell for a third-ball duck and opening bowler Ben Trott removing Yardy, Carl Hopkinson (1) and Robin Martin-Jenkins (8).

Kent recovered from 88-5 to make 197-9 with medium-pacer Yardy taking 4-32.