Man-of-the-moment Murray Goodwin admits he has struggled to get used to the hectic pace of county cricket.

Sussex's overseas star fired a personal best 195 against Hampshire in the championship match at West End.

The 29-year-old is no stranger to playing in England. He had three seasons of club cricket in the north east and scored his third Test hundred at Trent Bridge a year ago this weekend during Zimbabwe's tour before retiring from international cricket.

But the schedule he faced then or during the winter, when he started a three-year contract with Western Australia, is nothing compared to the six month grind faced by county players during an English summer.

Goodwin appeared to be running on empty when he made scores of nought and four during Sussex's first Championship defeat of the season against Warwickshire earlier this week.

But he bounced back with his first Championship century of the season at West End.

Goodwin said: "It has been hard getting used to the demands of an English season, but I knew what to expect and I am certainly not complaining because it's nice to be here for the summer.

"It is a matter of dealing with it and pacing yourself. When I have had a day off it has been nice to relax and forget about cricket.

"But it is also important to maintain a certain level of fitness and I am quite happy to go and do some extra training or work on thing in the nets rather than just sit around on the sidelines if I am not batting."

Goodwin was signed on a one-year contract after Michael Bevan decided to take some time off before returning for two more seasons in 2002.

With counties due to consider a proposal to increase the number of overseas players they can employ to two when they meet again next month, there is a chance that Goodwin may return again next season.

Sussex's chief executive Dave Gilbert said: "We already know that Bev won't be here at the start and end of the season because of Australia commitments.

"So the chance to employ another overseas player, even if it is for just a few weeks, is one that we would welcome."