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Di Venuto at his best

Sussex (156-1) bt Middlesex (155-8) by 9 wkts

When, of the two Langers, some of Bernhard's putts at Wentworth are going further than Justin's drives at Lord's, another National League match must be fulfilling its familiar formula.

Though the pace on to the bat of Middlesex's faster bowlers belatedly enabled Michael Di Venuto to offer the crowd some shots - his one-day best so far of 79 not out from 112 balls extending Sussex's unbeaten record - the fare overall was meagre.

That dread combination of a dead pitch with a white ball of the type which immediately loses hardness allowed Sussex's slow-medium quartet, wicketkeeper standing up, to strangle all Middlesex attempts at runs. Batsman after batsman, trying to break out, sent leading edges, miscues and slices to the field.

Chris Adams's slow seam brought him three wickets in his opening four overs and, at their most enmeshed, Middlesex were 88 for five from the first 31 before any momentum came. David Nash's 37 not out in a 49-run eighth-wicket stand through their final nine overs posted a target of 156.

The pattern, repeatedly seen in the last few years, is killing much of the spectacle. As one-day packaging has been puffed up, so substance has too often become predictable.

With time to pace their reply, Sussex's second-wicket pair got home with 21 balls to spare, Adams, 48 not out, outscoring his Tasmanian partner.