Ollie Rayner today revealed how a pep talk from one of Sri Lanka's star batsmen helped him re-write the Sussex record books.

The 20-year-old off-spinner became the first Sussex batsman for 86 years to score a hundred on his first-class debut against the tourists at Hove on Saturday.

He was on 73 when Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakarra, who has scored more than 4,000 Test runs and averages 47, urged him to keep going.

Rayner revealed: "It was incredible. I was just sitting on the balcony at tea and he came up to me, told me I was playing well and kept urging me on, saying 'you've only got 27 more runs to get'."

Rayner's main asset is his bowling and he has not even made 50 in second-team cricket which made his achievement even more remarkable He is still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

He said: "The whole experience has been overwhelming. When it sinks in I will be able to describe to people what it felt like but it hasn't done yet. Everyone around me is making a big fuss and I'm sitting there thinking 'what happened?'

"Not a lot was going through my head when I went out there. I backed myself, tried to be positive and thought there was no point crabbing around."

With no play possible yesterday because of rain the match ended in a draw.

Sussex were heading to Durham today for the Championship match at the Riverside tomorrow (11am).