fours in the final over by Danny Briggs, the asking rate of nearly 14 runs per over proved to much as they came up marginally short, with Craig Overton claiming figures of 3-21.

Rain caused two delays at Hove, with Sussex set an altered target under the Duckworth-Lewis method

Somerset captain Jim Allenby told BBC Radio Somerset:

"Dean Elgar showed why he is a Test cricketer. It was an international-class innings played on a wicket which wasn't easy to bat on.

"260 was about par, so to get us to 300 was a high-class effort by him. It was the sort of knock that is going to win you matches. And Adam Hose did well too.

"Because of the runs he's scored in pre-season and in the second team, as well as theimprovements he's made in his game, it was hard to leave him out and he played really well."

Sussex coach Mark Davis told BBC Radio Sussex:

"It's never easy chasing in rain affected games but we got close. Laurie Evans played really well and, if one or two others had stayed with him, we might have won.

"We executed well with the ball. But Elgar's innings gave them the platform to push on in the last 10 overs and, with a short boundary, he got them into a very good position.

"Jerome Taylor is due to arrive from the West Indies tomorrow and be available on Tuesday against Glamorgan. He's coming fresh from playing a lot of domestic cricket and I'm sure he'll be raring to go."