Sussex's promotion hopes disappeared a couple of weeks ago, but there is every chance they could finish a dispiriting season in the bottom two after a dismal batting collapse yesterday.

Gloucestershire, inspired by a Championship best 6-19 from all-rounder Ian Harvey, bowled out the county for a paltry 138 and had reached 74-2 in reply at the end of the first day.

There was a distinctly gloomy atmosphere at Hove which had nothing to do with the bad light which forced the players off an hour early.

As well as Harvey exploited ideal conditions for swing bowling, some of the batsmen got out in ways which suggested the end of the season cannot come soon enough, a feeling most of the long-suffering supporters probably share.

In contrast Gloucestershire were keen to keep the party going after completing a domestic one-day treble on Wednesday night when Somerset's defeat at Old Trafford handed them the National League title.

And, for a man who claimed a couple of weeks ago that he might give up county cricket because the non-stop schedule was wearing him out, Harvey produced a performance of remarkable vim and vigour as he ran through Sussex's top order before lunch.

Chris Adams won the toss and his decision to bat first on a slow, easy paced pitch looked the right one, especially when openers Richard Montgomerie and Mike Yardy were putting on 35 without too many alarms.

But Harvey surprised Yardy with extra bounce in his first over and it was all downhill for Sussex after that, especially with Michael Bevan's reassuring presence missing at the top of the order due to a combination of shoulder, wrist and groin injuries.

Bevan's replacement, Will House, was caught off the glove hooking, Adams shuffled in front of a straight one and Tony Cottey was caught behind trying to guide an outswinger through the slips.

At lunch Harvey had the impressive analysis of 11-6-7-4 and he returned to mop up the tail after some doughty resistance from Umer Rashid and James Kirtley had at least given the Sussex total a measure of respectability.

The only batsman who looked comfortable as Harvey got the new ball to swing lavishly and occasionally dart off the seam was Montgomerie so it was a big disappointment when he shovelled a gentle half volley from Gannon straight to square leg.

Gannon then deceived Robin Martin-Jenkins with a slower ball and Jonathan Lewis made it 60 wickets for the summer after lunch when he trapped Nick Wilton in front and bowled Rashid via an inside edge.

Gloucestershire still have an outside chance of finishing in the top three and produced some positive batting in the 27 overs that were permitted before dark clouds rolled in.

Although Kirtley bowled Tim Hancock in his second over, Dominic Hewson played some pleasing drives before Martin-Jenkins found some extra bounce to defeat a flat-footed waft outside off stump.