Wickets in successive overs boosted Sussex when they began the defence of their Championship at the Oval today.

Jason Lewry had Surrey captain Jonathan Batty lbw in the eighth over and Mohammad Akram claimed his first wicket for the county when Scott Newman was caught behind to leave Surrey reeling on 24-2.

Meanwhile, Matt Prior can expect promotion up the Sussex batting order, but not for now.

The 21-year-old will again bat at seven in this opening game of the Championship defence.

Prior wants to move up the order to improve his chances of England recognition after a successful A team tour of India in February when he averaged 60 batting at number four.

But after topping 1,000 runs and scoring four hundreds last season at seven, skipper Chris Adams says he will have to wait for his opportunity.

He said: "I want to dispel the myth that you can't be considered a top batsman unless you are in the top five.

"As far as we're concerned it's vital that sides don't think they are through us once they have taken five wickets. Matt's not 100 per cent happy about the situation, but he still has a huge role to play for us.

"Matt desperately wants to get up the order and he will in time. But what any young player has to do first is to back up their first big season with another one."

Sussex gave debuts to Ian Ward, his old county, and Akram today while Adams, who declared himself fit following winter elbow surgery, and Murray Goodwin dropped down a place to accomodate a new opening partnership.

Kevin Innes got the nod ahead of off-spinner Mark Davis as the early season conditions favoured the deployment of a fourth seamer.