James Kirtley says Sussex had positives from a high-scoring defeat at Hove.
Hampshire’s Toby Albert struck six sixes from six deliveries as he powered his side to a total of 383 for nine in their Metro Bank One Day Cup match.
It was Hampshire’s second best score in List A cricket, beaten only by their 396 for five against Kent at Beckenham in 2022, and equalled the highest score in the competition this season.
Sharks chased bravely, led by Charlie Tear’s sublime 94-ball 111, but were beaten by 51 runs.
Kirtley, who is Sussex’s bowling coach, said: “We were always close and at the 25-over mark we were still in it.
“But we were a few wickets down and it’s hard with the main batting unit, your top five or six, gone.
“But we had some positives with the way Charlie Tear and Jack Leaning and Dan Ibrahim batted and in general the young players have stood up pretty well in the tournament.”
Tear’s timing was sweet as he reached his third 50 in the campaign from 40 balls, with eight fours.
Then he hit an eye-catching inside-out six over extra cover off spinner Andrew Neal. At halfway Sussex, on 146-2, were run ahead of Hampshire.
Tear’s other six, in addition to his 13 fours, was swatted over square-leg off Ollie Williams and crashed into the LED scoreboard on the east side of the ground.
But next ball, attempting another maximum, he holed out to long-on.
There was some determined hitting from Leaning (92) and Ibrahim (55) but Sussex fell well short.
Kirtley’s son Ollie was among the wickets with his first three in professional cricket, although his ten overs went for 95.
Hampshire opener Ali Orr came to his previous home ground with a best score of 31 in the competition this season and made his fifth List A century, scoring a run-a-ball 105 with 14 fours and a six.
Teenager Ben Mayes’ 109, his maiden List A century, came from 115 deliveries, with a dozen fours and a six.
When the pair raised the hundred partnership from 92 balls a total of over 400 seemed possible.
But the 200 came up from 189 deliveries and there was no acceleration until Albert’s brutal 86 from 37 balls, with five fours and eight sixes, although he was badly dropped on 21.
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