Dominic Clapp held Sussex Second XI together with an excellent unbeaten 136 on the opening day of their championship clash against Northamptonshire.

The 21-year old Lancastrian compiled 20 boundaries from 312 balls to help Sussex, without a championship win this season, reach 258-8 after winning the toss at Northampton.

Clapp's innings was crucial as the only other batsmen to manage double figures were Krishan Singh on his debut (35) and wicket keeper Nick Wilton (38).

Wilton, who resisted for 124 deliveries, joined opener Clapp to add 116 for the sixth wicket before falling LBW to opener bowler James Jenson.

Clapp offered only one chance in his definite career best innings when dropped in the gullery in the 30's off the bowling of Jenson.

Jenson had given Northants a good start by quickly removing Carl Hopkinson (6) and Tim Ambrose (0), and Robin Martin-Jenkins also fell for only a single.

Sussex were 43-4 when medium-pacer Jeff Cook bowl Umer Rashid for seven, and Singh then helped pull his side round by putting on 64 with Clapp.

Singh, a Hurstpierpoint college pupil who has played for Sussex's Academy, had faced 70 balls when he was LBW to Jenson, who ended the day with 4-47 from 17 overs.

After Wilton's dismissal, left arm spinner Monty Panesar made further in-roads into the Sussex innings with the late wickets of Nick Creed and Chris Nash.

But Billy Taylor gave Clapp useful support by digging in to reach five off 54 balls as Sussex sought to bat for as long as possible against some accurate and tidy Northants bowling.