Sussex face an ECB censure or even the unlikely possibility of a points deduction after 19 wickets fell on a dramatic first day at the Saffrons.

James Kirtley took a season's best 6-41 as the county bowled out the second division leaders for 110, their lowest total of the season, before Sussex, anchored by a superb unbeaten 82 from skipper Chris Adams, reached 151-9 at the close, a lead of 42.

Sadly, even Kirtley's achievement on his home ground, which took him past 50 wickets for the season, was overshadowed by the debate which raged all day about the unevenly grassed Saffrons wicket.

ECB pitches inspector Mike Denness was at the ground throughout the day and spoke to umpires Alan Jones and Trevor Jesty at the close. A statement on the outcome of their deliberations is expected some time this morning.

Sussex's chief executive Dave Gilbert reckons it would be "an absolute disgrace" if Sussex were to become only the second county to be docked points since the ECB introduced a more stringent policy on the condition of pitches at the start of the season.

One of the most important criteria is that pitches must start dry and in that regard the Eastbourne authorities can have no worries.

Coach Peter Moores believes the wicket used last year, when Sussex won for the fourth match in a row at the Saffrons, had even more grass than this one.

The days when Eastbourne was regarded as the best batting wicket in the country are long gone. No batsman in recent years has ever felt truly in here, but those prepared to be judicious in their shot selection normally prosper and Sussex skipper Chris Adams did just that.

What might be more appropriate in this instance would be to launch an immediate enquiry into the disappointing failure of batsmen on both sides to cope with a ball which swung lavishly all day.

Sussex have only just taken a delivery of new Dukes balls after complaints from the counties that the previous ones were undersized and losing their shape and sheen too quickly.

Kirtley and opening partner Jason Lewry can have no moans about the new batch. The pair swung the ball almost at will yesterday and Lewry could easily have walked off with a five or six wicket bag had the luck gone his way.

There was the odd instance of tennis ball bounce, notably when Tony Penberthy jabbed at a delivery from Mark Robinson which rose higher than he expected and was caught at the wicket, but there was also some poor batting.

The tone was set in the very first over when Adrian Rollins pushed Lewry off his hips but straight into the hands of Kirtley who had been specifically placed at backward short leg for just such a shot.

Matthew Hayden was offering no shot when he became Kirtley's first lbw victim, Lewry trimmed Jeff Cook's bail with a ball which deflected off the glove while David Sales was squared-up by Kirtley's speciality - the inswinging yorker-length delivery - to leave Northants reeling on 29-4.

Russell Warren, who took 151 off Sussex in totally different conditions a week ago, staged a brief fightback with Penberthy before the all-rounder fell to Robinson and Kirtley returned after lunch to claim four more victims as Northants lost their last five wickets for 48 in 12.2 overs.

Graeme Swann, who had taken four boundaries off him in the first over of the afternoon, drove Kirtley straight to mid off, Warren was bowled via an inside edge and Paul Taylor undone by pace and swing two balls later.

Some lusty blows by Darren Cousins helped Northants limp past 100, but David Ripley was bowled by a classical Lewry inswinger and Kirtley claimed his second successive six-wicket haul on his home ground when he ripped Jason Brown's off stump out of the ground, the innings all over in 45.2 overs.

It was the leaders' lowest total of the season after they had won the toss, but any hopes Sussex harboured that the pitch might ease as the day wore on were quickly dispelled.

Toby Peirce edged Taylor's outswinger to second slip, Wasim Khan was left creasebound when Cousins got the ball to move into him and Richard Montgomerie played around a Taylor inswinger.

At 29-3 it looked a fair bet that Northants might finish up with a first innings lead. But Adams and Tony Cottey responded to the crisis with some responsible batting until Cottey was leg before to Cousins to the third ball after tea after a stand of 43 in 15 overs.

Penberthy nipped in with the wickets of Robin Martin-Jenkins and Umer Rashid in successive overs, but Adams found an unlikely ally in wicketkeeper Nick Wilton with whom he added 38 for the seventh wicket.

Adams made his sixth and, in the context of what is sure to be a low-scoring contest, probably most important half-century of the season to usher his side ahead.

His fifty was made in 2hrs 20mins off 92 balls with eight boundaries and after Wilton was leg before in the second over of a new spell from Taylor, he put on 23 for the eighth wicket with Kirtley who was leg before to off-spinner Graeme Swann's second ball.

For long periods Adams had to settle for watchful defence, but anything loose was ruthlessly punished.

He was still there at the close, having hit 13 boundaries in his 82 although the loss of Jason Lewry in the final over may have ended his hopes of a first Championship hundred of the season.