Hampshire reinforced their reputation as draw specialists with an inevitable stalemate against Sussex at the Rose Bowl.

Robin Smith's side have now failed to force a positive result in six of the opening eight Frizzell County Championship Division One games.

Set 195 to win after Sussex had wrapped up the Hampshire first innings for 163 and declared on 111 for four in their second, the hosts had progressed to 56 without loss at the close.

Sussex had Robin Martin-Jenkins' five wicket haul to thank for enabling them to put pressure on Hampshire.

Sussex took eight points from the match, while Hampshire will no doubt be content with the seven that keep them ahead of Kent in third.

Shaun Udal and Alan Mullally, who shared eight of the nine Sussex wickets to fall to bowlers in the first innings, again bowled well.

Mullally accounted for Murray Goodwin and Richard Montgomerie, while Udal dismissed Adams and Michael Yardy to finish with seven for 75.

Not that their efforts had much bearing on the result, with any doubt surrounding the outcome dispelled by Sussex's sedate progress, when runs came at less than three an over.

Goodwin managed just two scoring shots before edging to wicketkeeper Nic Pothas, and Montgomerie found the fence only once in a 53-ball 20.

Hampshire: D A Kenway, W S Kendall, J P Crawley, R A Smith (Capt), N C Johnson, G W White, N Pothas (Wkt), A D Mascarenhas, S D Udal, C T Tremlett, A D Mullally.

Sussex: R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, C J Adams (Capt), M H Yardy, T R Ambrose, R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J Prior (Wkt), K J Innes, M J G Davis, B V Taylor, J D Lewry.

Umpires: K E Palmer and G Sharp