Sussex skipper Chris Adams acknowledged the part his team-mates played in helping him to end a 14-month wait for a Championship century.

Adams made an unbeaten 107 as Sussex took control on the first day of their top-of-the-table clash with leaders Surrey at Hove yesterday.

The county closed on 362-4 which means the gap between the top two is now just two points.

The 34th century of his first-class career and his fourth against Surrey was Adams' first since he made 217 against Lancashire at Old Trafford in May 2002.

And he admitted to a sense of relief after reaching the landmark with a single off Saqlain Mushtaq shortly before the close.

He said: "There were a few emotions when I got there, relief among them I suppose.

"But the most pleasing part was to repay the faith the other guys in the team have had in me.

"Tony Cottey, Murray Goodwin and Robin Martin-Jenkins have all said at some stage 'We've got faith in you and we know when we need runs you will score them.'

"There is no bigger game this season than this one so I'm really pleased to have got a big score. The team and the members and supporters of Sussex have always been great to me.

"Even this season they have backed me and haven't moaned when I have failed to score runs and it was nice to reward them."

Richard Montgomerie (90) and Murray Goodwin (74) had earlier amassed their first century opening stand of the season to help put Sussex in a strong position.

Saqlain and fellow spinner Ian Salisbury, who took two wickets, bowled 50 overs between them and Adams is convinced leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed will have a big part to play later in the game.

"The pitch is taking spin, albeit slowly at the moment, but it will get progressively more difficult to bat on," he added. "If we can put 500 on the board then we bring Mushy and Mark Davis into play but there is still a lot of hard work to be done.

"Surrey are a dangerous side. We're in good shape but we had to weather the storm on several occasions yesterday when they came at us hard."

James Kirtley will miss the start of today's play after joining the England squad last night as bowling cover ahead of the second Test against South Africa at Lord's.