Buck stars but Sussex lead by 99

Despite a Nathan Buck-inspired Leicestershire fightback, Sussex ended a topsy-turvy first day of the LV=County Championship match at Hove in a decent position.

After being bowled out for 114 by the team determined to make amends for last season’s relegation, Buck (3-36 off 15) took three swift wickets after tea to leave the hosts in some trouble on 112-6.

At that stage, County would have been hopeful that Sussex would not develop too much of a lead, but the steady head of Murray Goodwin steered them away from danger.

Goodwin made an unbeaten 59 and shared stands of 49 and 52* respectively with Robin Martin-Jenkins and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who both did damage with the ball earlier.

All the wickets fell to seam as James Anyon – who also batted well as a makeshift opener - and Corey Collymore. The duo and Martin-Jenkins all took two apiece, while Rana starred with a four-for.

County probably knew they were in for a tough day when skipper Matthew Hoggard was forced out of the starting line-up with a sickness bug. With Sussex always going to be the team to beat this season, it was an early blow.

However, it was great to welcome Andrew McDonald into the side and the Australian took the helm for his first game in charge.

That was the only change to the County side from the opening LV=County Championship victories and for the third successive time in the four-day format, the opposition won the toss.

Goodwin - who was also standing in for Michael Yardy, who is on England Twenty20 duty - invited Leicestershire to bat first and McDonald saw his charges start with promise.

Will Jefferson again looked in fluent touch with six boundaries being scored in the opening half-hour of play, including a belter through mid-wicket, and Matthew Boyce knuckled down alongside him.

When he lost his partner though, things took a turn for the worse. Jefferson (27) lost his off-stump to Rana – who finished with 4-49 - with the score on 38 and the team then lost another five wickets for 29 runs in the space of 15 overs.

It was the seamers who did the damage. Overseas star Rana took his second wicket when Paul Nixon got a very fine touch on a delivery that went through to Andrew Hodd and Boyce was next to fall after battling away for an hour and a quarter.

The left-hander had struck a four and a six in his 18 but Martin-Jenkins, who has started the campaign in fine fashion, struck to have the opener leg-before. At 54-3, things were going against County and the home side had their tails up.

James Taylor and McDonald set about constructing a partnership, although with the ball nipping around and the hosts’ pace attack in fine fettle, this was not the ideal time for County’s captain to be coming to the wicket.

He lost his wicket to an Anyon delivery that swung late and trapped him leg-before. The former Warwickshire man then had Josh Cobb brilliantly caught at short leg by Chris Nash.

When Taylor became Martin-Jenkins’ second wicket – caught behind by Hodd from a ball that nipped away - after battling hard for an hour, County were in bother at 67-6.

Tom New and Wayne White ensured no further damage was done before lunch and the team went in on 85-6, with White scoring two fours in 11 and New also finding the boundary as he went in not out on 7.

The duo needed to construct a partnership to give County a foothold in proceedings but when White became Rana’s third wicket after the break, the team were really up against it.

Claude Henderson was then bowled by Collymore and when Buck became Rana’s fourth wicket - trapped leg-before, like White - County were 100-9.

New made his way to 18 before he was last man out, caught trying to clear the ropes off Collymore. He was caught by Martin-Jenkins at mid-off.

Leicestershire badly needed a response. Illness was not restricted to the away dressing room and usual opener Nash was unable to open due to a migraine.

Anyon was promoted from number nine in a surprise move and the left-hander did a sterling job on a day where the wickets were tumbling.

However, County’s reaction was positive and the bowlers took three wickets before tea to initiate a comeback.

AJ Harris, who was not out for the fourth consecutive knock, had Michael Thornley caught at second slip by the safe hands of Jefferson.

That got the ball rolling and Joe Gatting was caught by keeper New when the slow left arm of Henderson was introduced. McDonald also struck an important blow with his first Leicestershire wicket when he trapped Nash, who came in at four, leg before.

That reduced the hosts to 68-3 but Anyon, who was unbeaten on 32 from 81 balls, and Goodwin took the hosts through to tea with the score on 82.

It meant Sussex were just 32 behind at that stage with Anyon approaching his career-best score if 37*, but fine work from Buck after the interval had them wobbling.

The youngster removed Anyon – who had done a sterling job considering all the circumstances – was caught by New down the leg-side.

It was a hostile and pacy spell from Buck, who has bowled beautifully all season. He then had England ‘keeper Matt Prior cut on the drive at cover by

When wicket-keeper in this game Hodd was then trapped leg-before, County were right back in it.

Goodwin has been there, done it and seen it all before though and his calming influence was just what Sussex were hoping for.

His half-century came from 77 balls with eight fours and although Henderson had the resilient Martin-Jenkins extremely well caught by a diving Boyce at silly mid-off, the former Zimbabwe international combined with Rana to frustrate the team.

The experienced duo used every sinew of their know-how and quality to thwart the County attack and it means they will start day two with a 99-run lead and three wickets in hand.

Still, County showed plenty of fight and spirit in the field and if they can keep that up tomorrow, then that will stand them in good stead as they look to get a foothold in the game.

There is plenty of time left to mount a recovery.