Mike Yardy says enjoying himself is key to his sensational start to the new season.

The Sussex batsman broke more records at Hove yesterday after reaching his maiden double hundred in the tour match against Bangladesh.

When he was eventually out for 257, the 24-year-old left-hander - who was awarded his cap last week - had lodged the highest score by a Sussex batsman against a touring team and the ninth highest first-class score in the county's 166-year history.

In the first month of the season Yardy has scored 673 runs including two other hundreds as well as yesterday's career-best.

But, like all batsmen worth their salt, he is making the most of the good times because he knows a bad run could be just around the corner.

He said: "It all seems to be happening to me at the moment but I'm just going out there every time and trying to enjoy myself.

"When you're in form like this you just want to cash in because it can change at any moment. But I feel quite relaxed at the moment and I'm trying not to get distracted. I just want to keep playing and, hopefully, keep scoring runs."

Yardy eclipsed George Cox jr's record, made against India in 1946, when he reached 235 and it is a testament to his fitness and concentration that the only chance he offered came on 218 when he should have been stumped after coming down the pitch trying to hit Enamul Haque jr's left-arm spin over the top.

When he finally holed out to deep mid-wicket he had batted for nine minutes short of seven hours, faced 314 balls and hit 35 fours and two sixes.

"I'm not a great one for stats and records," he admitted. "But once I reached my career-best I set myself a target of 200 and then 250."

Haque jr was rewarded with three wickets before Sussex declared on 549-7, but Bangladesh's suffering was not over.

The pitch is the re-laid one used for last year's C&G Trophy game against Lancashire and sure enough it was a lot more spicy when Sussex started bowling on it.

Captain Habibul Bashir suffered two cuts to his forehead after his helmet was smashed by Jason Lewry and Bangladesh soon tumbled to 59-4.

Lewry made the breakthrough when Nafees Iqbal fenced outside off stump and Luke Wright, who shared the new ball, surprised both Shahriar Nafees and Mohammad Ashraful with extra pace.

Then Tim Ambrose produced a spectacular diving catch to oust Aftab Ahmed and give Johan van der Wath a wicket with his second ball.

It got no better following a 55-minute rain delay after tea. A stand of 43 between Rajin Saleh and Mushfiqur Rahim in 17 overs offered hope but Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for 22 in ten overs as their batsmen's fallibility against anything pitched up was exposed.

They followed on a not inconsiderable 422 behind and were 12-0 when the rain returned. Sussex should complete the softening up process on England's behalf ahead of next Thursday's first Test some time today.

The 18 first-class counties voted yesterday to switch to two up, two down in the Championship from the start of next season. Sussex were among the counties who voted for the change from the present system which sees three sides promoted and relegated.