The Sussex players have already nicknamed new recruit Johan van der Wath 'Balboa' because his burly frame puts them in mind of the main character in the Rocky films.

Van der Wath was unable to deliver any knockout blows during his first bowling spell for the county yesterday, but initial impressions were definitely favourable.

The South African had two confident leg before shouts against Nottinghamshire's Jason Gallian turned down in his first over and his pace and accuracy troubled both Gallian and his partner Darren Bicknell during a five over burst after he replaced Jason Lewry in the sixth over.

But the Notts' openers survived and they will begin today on 32-0 in reply to Sussex's first innings 379 which featured an unbeaten 66 from Robin Martin-Jenkins - his highest Championship score for two seasons - and half-centuries for Mike Yardy and Matt Prior.

Prior had been happy to put thoughts of Shane Warne and sledging to the back of his mind as he offered another reminder why he may still get re-acquainted with the Australian on the biggest stage of all later this summer.

Fluent Scoring runs and improving his wicketkeeping are what will get the 23-year-old noticed by the England selectors, not rows on the field, and after a scratchy start he produced the most fluent batting of the Sussex innings.

Batting was never easy all day. A two-paced pitch, where the occasional delivery kept low, made batsman wary but not much seems to inhibit Prior although even he was sensible enough to play himself in before going for his strokes.

Either side of lunch he added 104 in 25 overs with skipper Chris Adams as Sussex wrested back the initiative after they had lost both their overnight batsmen inside the first ten overs.

Murray Goodwin gloved the second ball of the day down the leg side and then Yardy was defeated by one which Mark Ealham slanted across him after making his third half-century of the season.

Adams had a ten over start on his partner but after struggling early on, particularly against the willing and accurate Ryan Sidebottom, Prior creamed Greg Smith for three boundaries through the off side in one over and was on his way.

Adams played well within himself, content it seemed to watch from the other end as Prior looked to dominate in the way Adams himself might have done when he was starting to carve out a reputation at Derbyshire a decade or more ago.

Sidebottom was entitled to shrug his shoulders and consider life was unfair when Adams sliced him through the vacant third slip area to bring up the hundred partnership. But two balls later he bowled Adams between bat and pad with a delivery which nipped back and did not bounce much.

Even Prior was becalmed for he next six overs when only three runs were scored but it was still a surprise when he gloved a catch to slip because the successful bowler, Paul Franks, had struggled to beat the bat all day. His 65 came off 89 balls and included ten fours.

At 250-6 and with two new batsmen at the crease it was time for Sussex to rebuild. Martin-Jenkins and van der Wath eked out just five runs in their first ten overs together but, like Prior and Adams earlier, they gradually got more confident even when Notts took the second new ball.

Van der Wath has two first-class hundreds to his name and his broad shoulders suggest he can give the ball a clout. There was little muscle-flexing here but he looked comfortable enough until nibbling at Ealham's awayswinger after putting on 78 in 23 overs for the seventh wicket.

A brief cameo from Mushtaq Ahmed included a six over cover off the startled Ealham but when Kirtley was ninth out Sussex were still five runs short of a fourth batting point.

But Lewry reined in his natural instincts to attack long enough to help Martin-Jenkins add another 21 runs before losing his middle stump to Smith's well disguised slower ball.

That left Martin-Jenkins unbeaten on 66, his highest score for two seasons, and a much needed boost for a player who appeared to lose confidence in his batting last year when he averaged under 20.

He seems to have cut out the risky hooks and pulls which have caused his demise so often in the past. Instead, most of his ten boundaries came with well-timed shots off his legs. He was in for a shade over three hours, valuable time in the middle for a player who is capable of playing this sort of innings on a much more consistent basis.

April 29, 2005