Jason Lewry produced his best bowling performance of the season yesterday as his nine-year love affair with the Castle Ground at Arundel blossomed again.
The Sussex left-armer took 4-57 from 24 overs in energy-sapping heat to help the county restrict Essex to 300-8 on the first day of the Championship match.
It is nine years since Lewry took 4-40 on his county debut at Arundel against Middlesex when his victims included former England captain Mike Gatting.
He admitted: "I just love playing here. It's five minutes from where I live and apart from Lord's it is the best place in England to play cricket."
Lewry removed three England players, James Foster, Aftab Habib and Ronnie Irani, as well as Jon Dakin, as Essex slumped to 215-8 despite 95 from Nasser Hussain, who eventually became Mushtaq Ahmed's 53rd victim of the season.
They were revived in the last hour by an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 90 between Graham Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate.
Lewry added: "I thought the boys bowled really well and it was frustrating at the end when Napier and ten Doeschate put on those runs.
"All credit to them because they played well and didn't look like tail-enders, but I thought we deserved to bowl them out for less than 300.
"I bowled 24 overs but it felt like 30 to be honest, the sun was relentless. You drink as much as you can but you are going to get tired and perhaps that's what happened to us in the last hour or so.
"Also, the outfield at Arundel is very soft. When you are chasing the ball you feel you're never going to get there and that does take its toll."
Lewry is still regarded as one of the best swing bowlers in the country, but he admits he has had to change tack this season.
"The balls we use now don't seem to swing as much," he revealed. "It means I have to do something slightly different and try and take my wickets in the slips rather than lbw or bowled because it doesn't swing as late.
"I've had to adjust my length and get people out nicking off to the slips and that's what happened today so I was really pleased."
Lewry still believes Sussex are in a strong position on a ground where batting is usually easier on the second and third days.
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