Captain Tom Haines and Ben Brown both scored their maiden List A centuries as Sussex ended their Royal London Cup campaign by beating Middlesex by three runs in a thriller at Hove.

Haines made 123 and Brown 105 as they shared a stand of 219 for the second wicket, which is the county’s fourth highest partnership in one-day matches.

That saw Sussex post an impressive total of 333-4 after Haines had won the toss.

Experienced duo Travis Head and David Wiese put on a quick fire partnership for the fourth wicket, before the latter was run out.

They added just 54 off 21 balls at the end, as Sussex finished with their second highest List A total in matches at Hove after smashing 130 off the last ten overs.

Middlesex, who knew they needed to win to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stages, were in a decent position on 145-1 in the 28th over.

But Sussex’s four slow bowlers maintained pressure and wickets began to fall, including opener Max Holden who top scored for the visitors with 94.

But left-hander Jack Davies made a rapid 51 off 37 balls and even when he departed in the 46th over Martin Andersson kept his side in the hunt.

Middlesex took 23 off the penultimate over from youngsters Danial Ibrahim and when Andersson hit Wiese for six off the first ball of the final over they needed just eight off five balls and were favourites to pull off a remarkable win.

But Wiese held his nerve.

He had Josh De Caires (21) very well caught by Harrison Ward in the deep and conceded singles off the last three deliveries to see his side home.

The victory meant that Sussex swapped places with Middlesex to finish seventh in Group 2.

Haines and Brown had earlier in the match come together in the eighth over after Middlesex captain James Harris held a catch off his own bowling to dismiss opener Ali Orr for 13.

That would be the last success that Middlesex enjoyed for 36 overs as Haines and Brown built their partnership in ideal batting conditions.

The only chance either of them offered to the visitors came when Haines was dropped on 117.

He struck 11 fours and four sixes with only De Caires being the only bowler to go for less than five runs an over.

Haines made 123 from 131 deliveries before he was caught at deep mid-wicket off a mis-timed pull.

Brown also departed to a standing ovation a few overs later when he holed out to deep extra cover, with his 105 coming off 109 balls with eight fours.

Head and Wiese then thrashed 54 from just 21 balls, 46 of which came in boundaries, with Wiese making 33 off 11 deliveries and Head 46 from 20 balls.

Middlesex had made a solid start with Holden sharing opening partnership of 65 with Steve Eskinazi (28), before following that up with a stand of 80 with former Sussex loanee Varun Chopra (45).

But the required rate had climbed to nine an over by the time skipper Peter Handscomb was trapped lbw sweeping James Coles for 16.

Holden moved to 94 from 95 balls with 12 fours when Head took a sharp return catch to end a fine innings.

The Australian off-spinner finished with two for 35 while Wiese and Will Beer also picked up two wickets.

Sussex will now have a 12-day break before they turn their attentions back to the T20 as they travel to Chester-le-street to take on Yorkshire in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast, in what remains there only chance of silverware this season.

England struggle

Joe Root’s decision to bowl first on the opening day of the second LV= Insurance Test backfired in in frustrating fashion at Lord’s as India racked up 276 for three to assume control.

The England captain won the toss and sent the tourists in under gloomy skies but the combination of quality batting, spells of uninspired bowling and a belligerent lack of swing left the tourists in an envious position at stumps.

Rohit Sharma set the tone at the top of the order with a fine 83 but it was his opening partner, KL Rahul, who ground the hosts down most as he batted throughout the day for a high-class 127 not out.

England might have found themselves even further in the mire had it not been for James Anderson, who shrugged off fears he would miss the match with a quad injury to dismiss Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara deep in the afternoon session.

Rahul and Virat Kohli snuffed out hopes of a fightback with another century partnership before Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson used the second new ball to remove the captain for 42.