Recalled England batsman Nick Knight led a charmed life against the Sussex attack at Hove today.

James Kirtley and Jason Lewry both went close to removing the Warwickshire opener cheaply on the first morning of the Championship clash.

Knight, 31, was today included in the England squad for the triangular one-day series against Pakistan and Australia following three tons for his county in the Benson and Hedges Cup.

The left-hander also scored a century in Warwickshire's opening Championship fixture against Hampshire, but Sussex were unfortunate not to end Knight's prolific run once his captain and partner Michael Powell had won the toss and elected to bat.

Kirtley and his fielders had a confident appeal for a smart leg side catch by keeper Matt Prior in the sixth over.

Knight, on nine, stood his ground and umpire Roy Palmer was unmoved.

Kirtley also had a big lbw shout against Knight rejected by Palmer next ball, which must have given captain Chris Adams cause for rueful reflection.

Adams, fielding at mid-on to protect his broken thumb, had a much publicised bust-up with umpire David Constant in the corresponding fixture last season after he had been given out lbw.

Knight continued to ride his luck against Lewry, back in the side at the expense of Mark Robinson.

He edged the Sussex left-armer streakily through the slips in the next over and Lewry went on to beat him on a couple more occasions.

Robin Martin-Jenkins replaced Lewry at the Cromwell Road end after 16 overs. Adams turned to spin in search of a wicket three overs later, Mark Davis coming on for Kirtley at the Sea End.

Powell was making painfully slow progress, but that all changed with an extraordinary shot as the sun began to break through early cloud cover.

The visiting skipper clubbed Martin-Jenkins off the front foot over mid-wicket and into the upper pier of the pavilion to move from 12 to 18 and raise the Warwickshire 50 in the 23rd over.

Warwickshire's good fortune continued as Powell was dropped three times approaching the lunch interval.

Michael Yardy got his fingers to a high chance at second slip off Martin-Jenkins with Powell on 30 in the 31st over.

Prior inexplicably fumbled a straightforward skier off Kirtley two overs later and Kirtley thumped the ground in frustration when, in the same over, Richard Montgomerie dropped Powell at third spell.

WARWICKSHIRE 1st innings
Powell not out 40 Knight not out 36 Extras (b1 w4 nb 2) 7 Total 0 wkts (37 overs) 83 Bowling: Lewry 8-3-27-0; Kirtley 12-7-10-0; Martin-Jenkins 8-1-28-0; Davis 9-3-17-0.