Horton powers Lancashire to facile win

Lancashire 298 (Horton 122) beat Sussex (Yardy 82, Hogg 3-40) by 46 runs
Scorecard

For the second day running, bat ruled the ball in Abu Dhabi where Lancashire's Paul Horton emulated Yorkshire's Michael Vaughan by scoring a majestic century in the clash against Sussex in the Pro Arch Trophy. Horton, who cracked 122, was well-supported by Kyle Hogg who turned in a fine all-round display in Lancashire's comfortable 46-run win.

Almost exactly 24 hours after Vaughan scored his first hundred for Yorkshire in nearly four years, so 26-year-old Horton was clattering his maiden one-day century for Lancashire in an impressive total of 298 all out. Horton, born in Australia but schooled in Liverpool, is fresh from a spell captaining the Western Australian club side Gosnalls and the trip has clearly been of great use. He plundered 14 fours during his 123-ball stay, showing great stamina in energy-sapping heat.

Horton featured in a fine stand of 111 with Mark Chilton (59 from 63 balls), following on from Kyle Hogg who earlier gave Lancashire a sound start with a fluent 35 at almost a run-a-ball. Hogg was leg-before to slow left-armer Tom Smith who, with 3 for 51, was the pick of Sussex's attack.

On a pitch aiding spin more than seam, Michael Yardy mopped up wickets at the death, including Horton who was caught at deep midwicket, to finish with 3 for 59, while Robin Martin-Jenkins showed all his experience with a tidy stint of 3 for 43.

Sussex began poorly, however, and within the first 11 overs had lost their top three. Ed Joyce (10) edged a slashing drive to the keeper off Hogg; Rory Hamilton-Brown fell in the same fashion for 11, either side of an unfortunate run out for Chris Nash (15) when backing up a drive that was tipped onto the stumps by Glen Chapple as he followed though.

Sussex re-grouped through Carl Hopkinson (46) and Yardy with a fourth-wicket stand of 93 in 17 overs which ended when Hopkinson was deceived in the flight as he advanced to left-arm spinner Stephen Parry. Despite the loss of Andrew Hodd, bowled by Parry soon after the drinks break, Yardy anchored the reply with a fluent 82 until he too was snared by the spinner, trapped leg-before after missing a paddle sweep. With him went Sussex's outside chances of victory.