Sussex's own Dutch master Bas Zuiderent scored his maiden century and James Kirtley took a hat-trick as the side marched into the quarter-finals of the Benson and Hedges Cup.

The squad mounted an impressive 60 run demolition of Hampshire yesterday.

Zuiderent made an unbeaten 102 while Murray Goodwin's superb early season form continued with a rapid 87 as the county piled up an imposing 255-7 on their first visit to Hampshire's impressive new Rosebowl headquarters.

Skipper Robin Smith held the reply together with an unbeaten 77 before Kirtley finished off Hampshire in spectacular style, uprooting Alec and brother Zac Morris's middle stumps with successive deliveries of the 46th over before trapping Adrian Aymes leg before to complete his hat-trick as Hampshire lost their last six wickets for 37 runs.

Zuiderent has waited three seasons to finally announce himself with Sussex and his delight when he nudged Alan Mullally into the leg side to reach three figures was there for all to see. The bat was raised high in the direction of his team-mates on the dressing room and then Zuiderent planted a kiss on the six martlets badge on his helmet.

He grew in confidence after a slow start but with five overs left was only on 80 and it looked as if that first hundred might have to wait for another day. But he then launched a spectacular onslaught against Dimitri Mascarenhas, hitting the medium-pacer for 18 in one over including four boundaries, the pick of them a gunbarrel-straight drive which dissected two desperate fielders standing no more than 20 yards apart.

Zuiderent struck 13 fours in all, unveiling some of the shots which will doubtlessly enhance his reputation as one of the most natural strokeplayers on the county staff. He faced 139 balls and deservedly picked up the gold award in front of a sizeable contingent of delighted Sussex supporters after the match.

Big Bas effectively won the game in a stand of 144 in 28 overs with Goodwin, a county record in the competition for the second wicket. The Zimbabwean has already scored 356 runs in six innings since joining Sussex and the only surprise yesterday was that he did not score his second B&H hundred in three games.

Punishing anything remotely short or wide - and an increasingly dispirited Hampshire attack bowled far too much of that - Goodwin moved serenely onto 87 off 92 balls with 13 fours when he steered Alec Morris straight into the hands of Morris minor at gully. Although Michael Yardy fell cheaply to a superb stumping stumping by Aymes off a leg side wide, Will House and Zuiderent put on 78 in nine overs and who knows what sort of total Sussex might have finished with had House not played on to Mullally with three overs left just when he was getting into his stride.

The England left-armer finished with 2-25 from his ten overs and was head and shoulders above the rest of Hampshire's suffering seam battery.

All Sussex had to do was keep things tight in the field and although their bowling was not as accurate as it had been in the wins over Middlesex and Kent they managed to take wickets at important times.

A direct hit by Robin Martin-Jenkins ran out Jason Laney following a comical mix-up after he had put on 48 with Neil Johnson and then Derek Kenway heaved a leg stump long hop from Yardy straight down the throat of deep square leg.

The key wicket of Johnson came in the 20th over when Umer Rashid tossed up his first delivery and the Zimbabwean obligingly drilled it straight to mid off after he had made 40 of his side's first 65 runs from 60 balls.

Smith briefly revived Hampshire hopes in a stand of 93 in 18 overs with Will Kendall before Kendall was bowled around his legs by Rashid for 33. Hampshire's hopes effectively went with him.

They came quietly after that but not until Kirtley had taken the second hat-trick of his Sussex career and fifth of his career after switching ends for a third spell.

Fast, swinging and uneeringly accurate yorkers accounted for Alec and Zac Morris before umpire Michael Harris upheld Sussex's acting captain's frenzied leg before appeal when Aymes missed a full toss which would probably have hit middle and leg.

A week ago you wouldd have got long odds on a Sussex side without their captain and most experienced batsman winning the south group and finishing above Surrey in their group. But players like Zuiderent have come of age in the last few days and Sussex, with home advantage, will fear no one in the quarter-finals.