Stuart Law battered the Sussex bowlers for the second time this season to leave the county facing a long haul to avoid defeat by Lancashire in the Championship match at Hove.

Law made 218, the fourth-highest score of the season, when the teams drew at Old Trafford in May, but the Queenslander has endured a lean time by his own high standards since then.

He made 147 yesterday, his first three-figure score since that double hundred and it has helped put his side in a strong position on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce.

Lancashire gained a first innings lead of 185 after they were bowled out for 425 and Sussex were 12-1 at the close.

David Byas, two days before his 39th birthday, played the supporting role to Law with 71 but there was no doubt who was the star turn.

There is nothing particularly stylish about the way Law bats and early on yesterday he struggled to time his shots. On 26 he offered a sharp return catch, but Jason Lewry could not hold on despite getting a hand on it.

It was just the break Law needed. Playing the ball as late as he could, as a two-paced surface demanded, his economy of effort and ability to find the gaps brought him 15 boundaries from 212 balls in just over four-and-a-half hours at the crease.

The ball swung pretty much all day and the Sussex attack stuck to their task manfully, but it was not until after tea that they received overdue reward for their efforts when the bounce became even more unpredictable.

Opener Mark Chilton was superbly caught at second slip by Tim Ambrose, diving to his right, in the first hour but Law and Byas then put together a third wicket partnership which could effectively win Lancashire the match.

They added 130 in 39 overs either side of lunch, easing past Sussex's 240 in the process, before Mark Davis got one to turn out of the footholds and Byas was caught behind.

Ambrose shelled another difficult chance off Innes in the next over when Neil Fairbrother had not scored and the veteran left-hander went on to add 66 with Law although he only contributed 16 of them before James Kirtley got overdue reward in the second over with the new ball when he won an lbw verdict.

It exposed Lancashire's lengthy tail and after tea Sussex started to finally make some headway, the last six wickets falling for 59.

Innes ended Law's vigil when he pinned him on the back leg and in the next over Chris Schofield was caught behind off Jason Lewry.

The left-armer bowled with considerable more control yesterday which was not difficult after his seven overs on Thursday had cost 52 runs and included eight wides. Jamie Haynes then played across an inswinger to give Lewry only his eighth Championship wicket at Hove this season, but Peter Martin took 18 off his last over to ease Lancashire past 400.

Martin-Jenkins removed him and Gary Keedy, both courtesy of excellent catches by Murray Goodwin, and Kirtley wrapped the innings up with the wicket of James Anderson.

Sussex had seven overs to negotiate and they did not come through unscathed as they lost Murray Goodwin lbw to a ball from Chapple which kept low.