CLOSE OF PLAY: Sussex 247-5 (Joyce 89, Martin-Jenkins 52) The sixth wicket pair have so far added 87 and that has ensured that first-day honours have finished just about even. Just spoken to Ed Joyce who reckons he has never had to bat better for 89 runs. Let's hope he goes on to a century tomorrow. I'm back at 11am (or just before) with further updates from Hove. In the meantime, thanks for logging on and hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Sussex 231-5 (90.1) Stand now worth 71 with Joyce on 83 and RM-J, who is relishing the battle with Anderson, batting well for 42. Anderson is into the third over of his fifth spell with Smith operating at the top end. Five overs left after this one and these two have restored the balance somewhat.

Sussex 204-5 (82) Anderson back on the field after a brief rest to get treatment for cramp and Lancashire have taken the new ball through Chapple and Mahmood. The sixth wicket stand is now worth 44 though with Joyce on 76 and Martin-Jenkins giving him good support on 24.

WICKET: Sussex 164-5 (70) A third wicket for Anderson and fully deserved, he has bowled outstandingly today. Wright got an inside edge trying to work the ball into the leg side, it ballooned off his pad and Anderson hung on diving forward in his follow through. Wright made 6. Saj Mahmood back from the Cromwell Road end with Joyce on 63 and Robin Martin-Jenkins in with him.

TEA: Sussex 154-4 (64) Three wickets make it Lancashire's session. Joyce has batted well on debut but the bowling has been disciplined throughout. Joyce is 58 and Wright 5.

WICKET: Sussex 142-4 (59.3) Chapple strikes again and this time it's Prior whose gone. Steven Croft has just taken a stinging catch at slip but it wasn't a great shot, Prior going hard at a ball outside off stump which he could have left alone. Nature of the beast I suppose but Lancashire are in control now. Luke Wright in for his first innings at No.6 and a big test for him. Joyce is 55.

Sussex 142-3 (59) Fifty for Joyce. He's been in the 40s for ages but has just punched Smith off the back foot through cover for four. He's onto 55 with Prior on 4.

WICKET: Sussex 132-3 (57.3) Goodwin gone for 11, caught low down at third slip by Ashwell Prince off a thick edge. Decent ball from Chapple which Goodwin was looking to guide down to third man. In the previous over Goodwin would have been run out had Smith's throw been more accurate when he was sent back by Joyce. Matt Prior in with Joyce and off the mark second ball with a deliberate edge through gully for 4. Six overs until tea after this one and a crucial stage of the game. Joyce still on 49.

Sussex 130-2 (52) For someone who played just one innings in pre-season Goodwin looks in prime form here. Chapple back into the attack now and when he dropped short Goodwin pulled him majestically for four - shot of the day so far. He is onto 10 and Joyce is edging closer to a half-century. He's on 48. Excellent first-day crowd in, must be upwards of 2,000 enjoying the warm spring sunshine.

WICKET: Sussex 116-2 (47.3) Yardy out for 35 and a deserved second success for Anderson. Not sure if he would have had another over after this but he's just shaped one into Yardy's pads and the Sussex skipper has gone lbw, playing all round it really. Umpire Hartley thought long and hard but you could tell he was expecting the worst. 130 balls faced and three fours from Yardy. Not his most fluent innings for Sussex but it has not been easy out there.

Sussex 113-1 (46) Really good spell by Anderson so far. He's consistently got the ball to move away from the left-handers towards the slips but Joyce and Yardy are looking settled. Joyce on 45 and Yardy 33. Three overs from Keedy and now Tom Smith is back into the attack with his medium-pace.

Sussex 97-1 (33) Time for twirl as Keedy comes on for Mahmood at the Cromwell Road end to bowl his slow left-arm. Joyce is 33 and Yardy 31.

Sussex 96-1 (40) Reprieve for Joyce on 32 and problems for Paul Horton at slip. The edge off Anderson seemed to take a deflection as Horton went to snaffle it and the ball has struck him above the left eye. He's been led off by the Lancs' physio and will presumably have stitches. Joyce on 33 and Yardy 30.

Sussex 88-1 (38) Sussex slowly wearing down the bowlers but it's fairly attritional fare since lunch. Joyce now 32 and Yardy 25 with Anderson back for a third spell and his second from the sea end.

Sussex 72-1 (30) Back after the break with Joyce taking three off the first over from Chapple to move to 23. It's Mahmood back for a second spell from the Cromwell Road end.

LUNCH: Sussex 69-1 (29) Not quite 1pm but that's lunch. Good competitive session as you'd expect between these two. Been hard work for the Sussex batsman but they have given themselves a platform. Joyce is 20 and Yardy 17 from 81 balls and Joyce 20.

Sussex 66-1 (28) Mark Robinson has just popped into the box to explain Rayner's omission. He is in hospital with an elbow infection and won't be out for another couple of days. In the middle Chapple is back for a second spell with both batsmen on 17. According to the coach, Nash was hit on the back leg with no bat involved. He's seen the replays which we haven't. To be fair, Lancashire have deserved a wicket.

Sussex 55-1 (23.1) Bit more like it from Joyce, who has just push-driven Anderson through mid-wicket for his first boundary. He is 7 and Yardy 17.

Sussex 44-1 (21) Top bowling this from Mahmood and Anderson. Consistent lines, judicious use of the bouncer by Saj and hard work for Sussex's two lefties. Yardy has just moved onto 16 in not entirely convincing fashion when a leading edge dropped into the covers to bring him two runs. That single first ball remains Joyce's only contribution to the scoreboard so far.

WICKET: Sussex 44-1 (18) Nash is out courtesy of a great catch by Lancs wicketkeeper Luke Sutton who dived to his left to take it one-handed off what looked like an inside edge. Success for Anderson in his second over from the sea end. Nash didn't look entirely comfortable against Anderson, who had two leg before shouts earlier in the over - the first of which looked very close. He's out for 22 and the new man is Ed Joyce, who has just got off the mark first ball with a pushed single into the off side. Yardy is 14 not out.

Sussex 43-0 (16) Mahmood surprised Yardy with a well-directed bouncer in his last over which hit the captain on the helmet. But he recovered to smack the next delivery through the covers for a boundary. He is 14 and Nash 22 and Anderson has just had his first over from the sea end after Chapple's seven-over opening burst.

Sussex 30-0 (11) First bowling change as Anderson is replaced at the top end by Sajid Mahmood, who has tended to bowl well at Hove. Nash played a couple of shots of real authority in Anderson's last over, a square drive for 3 and then a lovely clip off his toes for 4. He is 20 and the more circumspect Yardy is 8.

It would be interesting to know what you think about Sussex's team and in particular the selection of Aga and Tom Smith. Incidentally, there is a Tom Smith in the Lancs' line-up as well. Wonder if that's the first instance of two players with the same name in opposite sides in the 181 game history of his fixture. Probably.

Sussex 19-0 (8) Both batsmen looking fairly settled now, although Yardy's cut shot off Chapple in the last over wasn't far away from backward point although it still went for four. He is 8 and Nash 10, his most impressive blow to date a straight drive off Chapple which was pulled up just inside the rope.

Sussex 7-0 (5) Yardy on 3 and Nash off the mark somewhat strekily with an edge through gully all along the ground for four. Conventional new-ball fields for these two with three slips and a gully. Judging by the sound Nash's bat makes as he prepares to face, the pitch is firm and true. Not much has happened so far for the seamers but there seems to be a bit more carry than we've seen at Hove for a while which is a good sign.

Sussex 1-0 (3) Yardy underway with a single down to short fine leg off Anderson. He's about to face his first ball from Chapple.

Sussex 0-0 (2) Another maiden but again the batsman didn't have to play at any of the deliveries.

Sussex 0-0 (1) Maiden to start with from Anderson down the slope to Yardy, who only had to play at one delivery. Glenn Chapple opening the attack now from the sea end. Decent crowd enjoying the sunshine.

After a five-minute farago in the middle waiting for Sky to get their act together Mike Yardy has won the toss and Sussex will bat.

Teams - Sussex Yardy, Nash, Joyce, Goodwin, Prior, L.Wright, Smith, Martin-Jenkins, D.Wright, Aga, Collymore.

Lancashire: Horton, Chilton, Prince, Du Plessis, Croft, Sutton, Chapple, Smith, Mahmood, Anderson, Keedy.

The umpires are Richard Illingworth and Peter Hartley.

So that's a Championship debut for left-arm spinner Tom Smith for Sussex. No Rayner, Hopkinson, RHB or Gatting and Damien Wright and Ed Joyce also make their Championship bows for their new county.

Chris Nash is still troubled a tight hamstring but has declared himself fit. Underway at 11am.

Good morning and welcome to Hove for the start of Sussex's Championship campaign against Lancashire.

These two always produce a decent game and we are set fair weather-wise. It's sunny and warm and forecast to be so for the next four days.

I imagine whoever wins the toss will bat. Coach Mark Robinson has asked Andy Mackay and his groundstaff to leave more grass on the pitch to promote better pace and carry. If that's the case it may suit Lancashire's heavy seam attack more than Sussex.

Toss and teams at 10.30, but if the scorecard is a guide Aga and Collymore are in for Sussex while the spinner's berth has gone to Tom Smith with Hamilton-Brown 12th man.

Lancs may have left out their left-arm spinner Gary Keedy.

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