Sussex are considering a rotation policy to keep their bowlers fit and fresh.

The return of James Kirtley to the champions' attack will give skipper Chris Adams his first selection dilemma of the summer when he picks the team to face Warwickshire at Horsham tomorrow (11am).

It could mean either Jason Lewry or Mohammad Akram making way to accomodate the England man if Sussex maintain their recent policy of fielding both spinners at Cricketfield Road.

Horsham has traditionally encouraged spin. Mushtaq Ahmed claimed 12 wickets against Nottinghamshire a year ago to kick-start their Championship campaign and the county have played at least two slow bowlers on four of their last six visits there.

Adams said: "Nobody deserves to be dropped because we've had so little Championship cricket in the first month of the season and the bowlers haven't done too much wrong.

"But it's a long summer and it's important that we keep our bowlers fresh right through. If that means one of them resting up this week and getting a break then we will consider doing that."

Far from putting his feet up, Kirtley is desperate to get some overs under his belt in what will be his first Championship appearance since the end of last July. He broke into the England Test team a week later and then missed the end of the season because of shin splints.

Kirtley joined up with England's one-day squad in the Caribbean last month, but only played in one match in the rain-ruined series before losing his place to James Anderson.

He eased himself back by taking 4-45 in 22 overs against Loughborough UCCE last week and can't wait to help the county to climb away from the bottom of the first division.

"I haven't played in the first four matches so I'm nice and fresh and come the last two months of the season I should still be fit and strong," he said.

"I followed how we were doing while I was in the West Indies and I sympathise with our bowlers. It's tough to get into a rhythm when you can't have any outdoor nets for two weeks because of the rain.

"I was happy with the control and rhythm I had last week and I'm looking forward to Horsham. It was the game which kick-started our season last year and hopefully it will be similar this year."

A quarter of the way into the Championship programme and winless Sussex have only Worcestershire below them in the table.

But with successive home games there is an opportunity to start moving in the right direction and Adams has short shrift for the doom-and-gloom merchants already predicting a difficult season.

"Anybody making a judgement about the season at this stage of it shows a lack of education about cricket," said Adams.

"Apart from Lancashire when we were lacklustre there's very little we could have done. Northants didn't give us much chance to get in the game last week and we've lost more than five days out of 16 so far which has been hugely disappointing.

"All I will say is that when we have had opportunities to nail sides this season we haven't taken them. Everyone plays good cricket in division one and no side gives in easily, so when those chances do come along we will have to pile through.

"But lads like Kirtley and Matt Prior who played against Loughborough will be buzzing and Horsham is a good ground for us and we will be looking to get our season underway properly."

It will be a big week for Lawrence Gosling who has prepared his first pitches for county week at Cricketfield Road. He move to Horsham in the winter after a decade on the groundstaff at Hove.

The festival has attracted £10,000 from Gladwish Land Sales, the company supporting several non-league football clubs in the county.