Brandon Hanley was the hero as Sussex caused an upset by winning the national boys' under-17s title at Doncaster.

The 16-year-old Lancing College pupil won the decisive last match as Sussex beat favourites Yorkshire 3-2.

Sussex had led 2-0 thanks to wins for Alex Crouch (Bexhill) and Tom Pashley (Dunnings Mill, East Grinstead) against Shaun Le Roux (3-1) and David Morgan (3-2).

But Jordan Sopp (Coral, Hove) and Phil Taylor (Weald) were defeated as Yorkshire roared roared back to level. Sopp went down in straight games to nationally ranked Lawrence Delasaux while injury-hit Taylor was pipped 3-2 by Mark Shepperd.

That left Sussex depending on Hanley and he made no mistake with a 9-5 9-3 4-9 10-8 triumph against Adam Nowakowski.

It was the county's first national boys' crown since the under-15s succeeded four years ago.

Hanley said: "I was not expected to win. The guy I was up against has a national ranking and was strong. The momentum was swinging towards Yorkshire and that made me unusually nervous.

"But I dug deep. I just didn't want to let my team down. I was really happy to pull it off."

Sussex under-13s, finalists 12 months ago, finished fourth. They lost 5-0 to champions Yorkshire in the semi-finals and were defeated 4-1 by Devon in the third/fourth play-off when Hamish Forbes (Crowborough) was the only winner.

Sussex were also runners-up at under-15s and fourth at under-19s.

Sussex under-17s: Jordan Sopp (Coral, Hove), Brandon Hanley (Lancing College), Alex Crouch (Bexhill), Phil Taylor (The Weald, Hassocks) and Tom Pashley (Dunnings Mill).

Sussex under-13s: Stephen Wykes (Chichester), Alexander Pett (Storrington), Bradley Knight (Henfield), Alan Lansberry (Horsham), Hamish Forbes (Crowborough).