It did not take Mike Yardy long to demonstrate that the faith Sussex have shown in him isn't misplaced.

A week ago the left-hander wondered whether he had a future at all at Hove. On the second day of the final game of the season, a new two-year contract in his pocket, he made his maiden first-class hundred against Surrey.

It was a fitting finale to the summer for Yardy who, after four years on the staff, will undoubtedly regard this as his breakthrough season.

More than anything, his consistent one-day performances earned him his new contract but the departure of Tony Cottey means there will be a slot in the top order of the Championship side next season and the 23-year-old has put down an early marker to make it his.

It was no surprise that he finally crossed the rubicon against Surrey. His previous highest score of 93 was made at the Oval two years ago and last season his defiant five-hour 69 almost saved the match for Sussex on the same ground.

This was only his second Championship appearance since then, but the positive way he batted on Thursday suggested it might be his moment.

Resuming on 69, he started confidentally again yesterday, hitting Nyan Doshi for three boundaries in an over before, predictably, getting bogged down in the 90s.

After being stuck on 95 for nearly half an hour, he finally got there in singles before somewhat sheepishly acknowledging the standing ovation.

Remember, this was all new territory for a player who has always preferred to remain in the shadows and did not even know he was playing until an hour before the start.

He said: "(Coach) Mark Robinson was frantically trying to get hold of me when Wardy pulled out.

"I think I was seeing who West Ham were playing today because I thought I'd played my last cricket of the season.

"It probably helped because I was quite relaxed and when it came to batting I just wanted to continue in the same way I've batted for the second team.

"I must admit I didn't sleep too much on Thursday night and when I was on 96 Chris Adams came up to me and said 'I just wish I could give you four runs of mine'.

"It was great to get there and a really good way to end the season. It hasn't been a bad two or three days."

While Yardy batted like someone determined to make the most of a rare opportunity, his team-mates, Adams apart, batted like men who could not wait for the season to end.

Adams lost his leg stump to Doshi after helping Yardy put on 84 for the fourth wicket.

Once Yardy was caught behind after playing back to the slow left-armer, having hit 16 fours in his 115, Sussex fell in a heap either side of a rain delay which took 32 overs off the day's allocation.

From 210-4 they subsided to 271 all out, Jimmy Ormond taking the last four wickets in 16 balls after the resumption amid a flurry of abysmal shots. Their last six wickets fell for just 32 runs.

Jason Lewry removed both openers in the same over when Surrey batted again with a lead of 12 but Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash had extended that to 84 by the close, when bad light forced an early adjournment with four overs left.