Sussex were closing in on their first Championship victory of the season against Kent at Hove today, but they suffered two injury blows along the way.

Jason Lewry was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose and possible damage to his eye-socket after colliding with Carl Hopkinson as he took a diving, one-handed catch to dismiss Geraint Jones at mid on.

Hopkinson had just come onto the field as substitute for Tony Cottey who will need an x-ray after he suffered a suspected broken thumb parrying a pull from Ed Smith.

Kirtley had enjoyed his second success of an eventful over when he snared Jones having deceived Ed Smith two balls earlier with a slower ball which the batsman pushed to cover.

Shortly afterwards rain drove the players off for the second time in the afternoon with Kent 145-7 and their victory target of 293 a long way off.

Smith (37) and Australian Greg Blewett (33) had earlier put on 59 for Kent's third wicket, but Mushtaq Ahmed took two wickets in three overs after lunch to spearhead a Sussex fightback.

Earlier, Sussex had been bowled out for 198 in their second innings after Kirtley and Lewry had put on 24 for the tenth wicket this morning.

Scores: Sussex 279 and 198, Kent 185 and 145-7 (45 overs)