Sussex have wielded the axe as they try to end a desperately disappointing National League campaign on a high note.

Batsmen Richard Montgomerie and Tony Cottey and wicketkeeper Matt Prior have been dropped from the squad to face Northamptonshire at Northampton tomorrow (12 noon), in Montgomerie's case for the first time in his Sussex career.

In their place come Jamie Carpenter, Bas Zuiderent and all-rounder Carl Hopkinson.

Montgomerie has scored just 148 runs in 12 games this season and Cottey 55 in five appearances while Prior is rested after a poor performance in the defeat against Leicestershire earlier this week when he made his third duck in his last five Championship innings.

Zuiderent has played just two National League matches this summer while Carpenter and Hopkinson, who are both out of contract at the end of the season, will be making their first appearances in the competition this season.

Skipper Chris Adams said: "Monty and Cotts have been out of sorts in the League this season and Matt has looked tired in the last couple of games.

"They will be hurting because no one likes to be dropped, but we need them to go away and get themselves in the right frame of mind for the last two Championship games.

"Neither (coach) Peter Moores or I enjoy having to drop senior players because of poor performances but we have been left with no choice."

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