Rana Naved sliced through Glamorgan's top order as Sussex moved joint top of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy south conference with a 97-run victory over Glamorgan at Cardiff.

After Sussex had left Glamorgan 258 to win, with Mike Yardy and Carl Hopkinson sharing an important 126-run stand in 20 overs, the home side crashed to 160 all out in 38.2 overs with Rana recording figures of 5-30.

It was the second time in eight months the Pakistan Test star had destroyed a Glamorgan batting line-up.

Last September's County Championship game saw Sussex beat the Welsh county inside two days with Rana helping to bowl them out for 96 in their second innings with figures of 5-41.

His potency was on full display again yesterday as he raced in from the Cathedral Road end running through the top order with a spell of 5-5 in 26 balls.

Glamorgan's pursuit of victory was left in a shambolic wreck at 48-6.

Sussex cricket manager Mark Robinson said: "Rana is a clever bowler. He bowls in gears and is a proven wicket taker season after season and he put the game to bed after the first 15 overs.

"But I was also pleased with the way Michael and Carl turned our innings round with a fine partnership.

As has happened all season someone put their hand up and steadied the ship.

"We have now won a third of our C&G games and that has been the start to the season I had predicted.

I said we would do something special at the start."

As well as Rana bowled, however, he was helped by some rash shot selection by the Glamorgan top six.

James Kirtley began Glamorgan's slide when he had skipper Robert Croft caught sharply at second slip by his opposite number Chris Adams.

Then enter Rana who struck five times between his third and eighth overs.

Mark Cosgrove, who had looked in pugnacious mood, and Michael Powell were both caught behind, while leg before victims Alex Wharf and Nicky Peng seemed to be beaten for pace.

Rana completed his five-wicket haul when Mark Wallace was bowled middle stump not playing a shot.

Mushtaq Ahmed chipped in with the wickets of Richard Grant, David Harrison and Andrew Davies after David Hemp had fallen in Luke Wright's opening over.

Earlier, Sussex had made a shaky start as they were reduced to 43-3 inside 12 overs.

Matt Prior fell to the seventh ball of the match, caught at second slip by Alex Wharf off David Harrison's first delivery of the season Adams edged Davies behind to leave Sussex struggling at 21-2 and a fine start for Glamorgan's opening bowlers was complete when Harrison trapped Richard Montgomerie in front not offering a shot.

Goodwin and Yardy set about a recovery which accrued 68 in 15 overs.

But just as Sussex were working their way back into the contest Goodwin drove Dean Cosker straight to Powell at mid-off, reducing the visitors to 111-4.

Sussex were given two let-offs at 149-4 and 157-4 when Cosker put down return catches off Hopkinson, who was on 22 and 24 at the time.

Yardy went to his half century with a straight six off Cosker as Sussex began looking to post a competitive score.

Yardy and Hopkinson both survived chances to Cosker at long off and Powell at mid-on respectively as they put on 126 in 20 overs.

The fifth-wicket pair were eventually separated when Hopkinson skied a return catch to Wharf, who also struck to remove Wright and Yardy. But Rana drove a straight six off the penultimate delivery to take Sussex to 257-8. He must have sensed it was his day.