SUSSEX duly completed an eight-wicket win over Kent in Hove on Saturday by knocking off the 56 runs they needed to open the LV Championship season with a victory.

The reigning champions needed only 16.1 overs to achieve the feat, but lost two wickets in the process.

Carl Hopkinson (11) played late and around the line of Min Patel's first ball of the day from the Sea End to go leg before, then Yasir Arafat snared Chris Nash (1) leg before as he pushed forward in defence.

But Richard Montgomerie, fresh from a first innings century, saw the visitors home with an unbeaten 33.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

J L Denly c Montgomerie b Mushtaq Ahmed 37
R W T Key lbw b Lewry 6
M van Jaarsveld lbw b Lewry 0
M J Walker c Prior b Kirtley 21
D I Stevens c Kirtley b Naved-ul-Hasan 35
G O Jones b Mushtaq Ahmed 2
Yasir Arafat lbw b Mushtaq Ahmed 33
R McLaren st Prior b Ahmed 44
S J Cook b Mushtaq Ahmed 3
M M Patel st Prior b Ahmed 15
R H Joseph not out 11
Extras 9

Total 216 all out after 59.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-26, 2-26, 3-57, 4-73, 5-76, 6-132, 7-150, 8-153, 9-181.

Bowling: Rana Naved 16-2-64-1, Lewry 8-4-23-2, Mushtaq 21.3-2-74-6, Kirtley 14-2-46-1.

Sussex first innings

C D Hopkinson c Cook b Joseph 13
R R Montgomerie c Jones b Arafat 175
C D Nash lbw b Joseph 50
M W Goodwin c&b Cook 23
C J Adams c Jones b Cook 0
M J Prior lbw b Stevens 14
L J Wright c Patel b Joseph 7
Rana Naved not out c McLaren b Stevens 75
R J Kirtley c Jones b McLaren 51Mushtaq Ahmed lbw b Arafat 27
J D Lewry not out 13
Extras 62

Total 510 all out after 156.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-26, 2-159, 3-195, 4-195, 5-232, 6-254, 7-371, 8-465, 9-479.

Bowling: Joseph 22-2-78-3, McLaren 28-6-95-1, Arafat 28.2-5-104-2, Cook 23-5-61-2, Stevens 24-5-42-2, Patel 25-4-90-0, Denly 6-3-17-0.

Kent second innings

J L Denly c Hopkinson b Mushtaq 63
R W T Key lbw b Lewry 0
M van Jaarsveld c Kirtley b Naved 26
M J Walker c Goodwin b Mushtaq 59
D I Stevens c Wright b Mushtaq 19
G O Jones c Prior b Wright 9
Yasir Arafat c Prior b Naved 40
R McLaren c Prior b Naved 20
S J Cook b Naved 5
M M Patel c Lewry b Mushtaq 52
R H Joseph not out 36
Extras 11

Total 349 all out after 88.overs

Fall of wicket: 1-2, 2-48, 3-148, 4-157, 5-175, 6-177, 7-245, 8-252, 9-263.

Bowling: Rana Naved 24-2-106-4, Lewry 9.1-2-35-1, Mushtaq 41.1-4-145-4, Kirtley 10-2-39-0, Wright 3.5-2-13-1.

Sussex second innings

C D Hopkinson lbw b Patel 11
R R Montgomerie not out 33
C D Nash lbw b Arafat 1
M W Goodwin not out 7
Extras 5

Total 57 for two after 18.1 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-35, 3-40.

Bowling: Joseph 6-1-16-0, McLaren 1-0-2-0, Cook 2-0-12-0, Patel 6-0-17-1, Arafat 3.1-1-10-1.

Bonus points: Sussex 22, Kent 3.

Kent won the toss and elected to bat.