TOP SCORER: Adie Aymes

HAMPSHIRE are the next county in England's pre-World Cup firing line after Essex fell to the narrowest of defeats yesterday.

England kept their nerve to claim a one-run victory after Nasser Hussain pressed his claims to become their new World Cup opener with a superb 82, opening for Essex. Now England come to The County Ground tomor-row (10.45) chasing a morale-boosting result - which Hampshire will do their best to deny them.

Chasing England's 229-7, Hussain and Stuart Law appeared to have put Essex firmly in the driving seat with a 120-run partnership off just 136 deliveries which left Essex needing just 75 from the final 14 overs to inflict a damaging defeat just five days before the World Cup opener against Sri Lanka at Lord's. But the county just failed to make it.

A century opening stand between Matthew Horne (38) and Nathan Astle (43) set New Zealand on course for victory against Hampshire at Southampton on Saturday in a rain-affected match decided on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

John Stephenson dismissed both the openers but Craig McMillan (23 not out) and skipper Stephen Fleming (43 not out) guided the Kiwis to a winning score of 169-2 with five overs to spare.

This was in response to Ham-pshire's 135-6 as the match was limited to 39 overs a side by rain. Adrian Aymes led the Hampshire scoring with 44 before he was caught off Astle after Geoff Allott had picked up two early wickets including skipper Robin Smith for a duck.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.