Murray Goodwin may be struggling to adjust to his role opening Sussex's order, but partner Richard Montgomerie is feeling the benefits of batting with the Zimbabwean.

In his third season with the county, Montgomerie is now walking out to bat with his fourth different opening partner.

If one or two Sussex supporters had their way, it would soon be a fifth.

Going into this week's match against Hampshire, Goodwin had made just 15 runs in his last four Championship innings, although there is no suggestion from him or the management that he might drop down the order.

That suits Montgomerie just fine.

"Murray is a fine player as he has shown this season and I am really enjoying opening with him," he said.

"Having a regular opening partner is very important. In my first season I opened for virtually all of the season with Toby Peirce and we ended up putting on five partnerships of a hundred or more.

"Murray is great fun to bat with too and I am sure he will start scoring runs again soon. He is quality and it would not surprise me if he goes and scores a hundred this week."

Montgomerie's prediction was spot on as Goodwin passed three figures against Hamnpshire on Wednesday.

Monty sets high personal standards, so he was disappointed to end last season with an average of under 30.

With Sussex determined to blood the youngsters this season, there is even more pressure on a relatively experienced campaigner like the 29-year-old former Northamptonshire player to come up with the goods.

So far he has not disappointed.

After a modest first three weeks of the summer, Monty got back in the groove with an unbeaten 87, admittedly off Cambridge University's friendly attack at Fenner's a fortnight ago, when he also led the side for the first time.

He followed that with a competition best 91 in the Norwich Union League win over Essex and 83 against Surrey in the Benson and Hedges Cup defeat by Surrey.

Then on Monday, after he had carelessly got himself out in the first innings for 33, came a first Championship hundred of the season against Warwickshire.

It was Monty at his best. Patient defence when the need arose, but plenty of attacking strokeplay too, particularly in his favourite areas through square and mid wicket.

And all this despite suffering from a painful wrist which was badly bruised when he was hit in the field on the first day of the Warwickshire match.

"I have been feeling in pretty good nick for a while and in the first innings against Warwickshire it was as good as I have felt at the crease this season. I was very annoyed to get out," he said.

"I am trying to be a bit more positive this season, to try and play a few more shots.

"You try these things in the nets, but it is different having the belief to go and do the same thing out in the middle."

A boundary off Mel Betts took him to his 14th first-class hundred and afterwards Chris Adams rated it as good an innings as Montgomerie had played for the county.

"It is certainly up there," he said. "I got a century in my first season against Yorkshire at Headingley which won us the game, which is probably my best innings for Sussex."

The task facing Montgomerie now is to build on his fifth hundred for the county and get the 1,200 Championship runs a player of his ability is capable of in a season.

There is also the job of coaxing daring deeds out of the likes of Mike Yardy and Bas Zuiderent, who are still finding their way in the first-class game.

"The youngsters have all shown at some stage of the season so far that they have ability. When they do well it tends to rub off on the other players as well.

"There is a lot more depth in our batting this season. Robin Martin-Jenkins is coming in at No. 7 and has looked composed and confident and Matt Prior and Mark Davis are both extremely talented players.

"It can be hard getting used to the demands of first-class cricket. The intensity which it is played at is something guys like Matt, who is used to schools and academy cricket, can find hard at first.

"But they have all got talent and I think they will come through."