CLYDESDALE BANK 40, New Road:
Sussex 145-5 beat Worcestershire 144-9 by 5 wkts (Sussex 2pts)
Match scorecard

James Kirtley has now taken 375 one-day wickets in his 15-year career

Last year's one-day specialists Sussex resumed where they left off as they won by five wickets at Worcester.

Sussex, who also won the Twenty20 in 2009, were crowned as the final Pro40 champions at New Road in September.

And they started well in in the new-look Clydesdale Bank 40 by limiting Worcestershire to just 144-9, James Kirtley taking 4-30.

After England's Matt Prior made 37, all-rounder Robin Martin-Jenkins (35no) then saw his side home on 145-5.

They did the job after home paceman Chris Whelan had dismissed Prior, Joe Gatting and Murray Goodwin in the space of five balls.

That matched Kirtley's feat earlier in the afternoon when he too removed three top-order batsmen in an over.

The breakthrough for Sussex came with the more contentious of two leg-before decisions by umpire Mark Benson.

Television replays suggested that opener Phil Jaques inside- edged the ball onto his pad but the Australian was given out for 22.

Kirtley then cashed in by trapping Alexei Kervezee LBW before tempting Ben Smith to carve a catch to Martin-Jenkins at third man.

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