Murray Goodwin insists it is still too early to regard Sussex as serious Championship challengers.

The county go into today's match with Essex at Arundel (11am) second in the first division after winning four of their first seven games.

Leaders Surrey are 26 points clear at the top and remain favourites to retain their title but there is a growing belief that Sussex could mount a genuine challenge for their first ever Championship.

Their attack currently boasts two of the country's top four wicket-takers in Mushtaq Ahmed (52) and James Kirtley (35) and only the leaders have won as many games or gained more bonus points.

But Goodwin, who faces Essex having scored his first century of the season at the weekend, says Sussex must have short-term aims.

"I know it's an old cliche but we can't afford to look any further than the next game," he said.

"As soon as you start thinking about matches and results in the future then cricket will give you a shock.

"We're in a nice position but we've only played seven games. It's far too early to be thinking about winning championships or anything like that."

Sussex's success has come despite a relative lack of Championship runs from their big three: Goodwin, his opening partner Richard Montgomerie and skipper Chris Adams who have managed just one Championship hundred between them.

But Goodwin was back to his best in Sunday's National League win over Somerset with 123, his highest one-day score in England.

He added: "This is the last year of my contract with Sussex and I want to come back to England so I set myself higher targets than I did in the previous year.

"I was putting myself under more and more pressure in the first two months of the season. But a score like that is great for confidence and hopefully I can build on it.

"It just shows the strength in depth we have now that guys like Kevin Innes and Matt Prior have come in down the order and got good runs."

Sussex are expected to name the side which beat Warwickshire while Essex, who have drawn six of their nine games so far, will have England captain Nasser Hussain in their ranks for the last time before he prepares for the Test series against South Africa at the end of the month.

Sussex (probable): Montgomerie, Goodwin, Cottey, Adams, Ambrose, Martin-Jenkins, Prior, Davis, Ahmed, Kirtley, Lewry.

Essex (probable): Grayson, Hussain, Foster, Flower, Habib, Irani, Middlebrook, Dakin, Napier, ten Doeschate, Brant.

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