Mike Yardy scored his second hundred of the season yesterday but admitted: "It was hard work."

The Sussex left-hander made an unbeaten 126 as the county reached 355-8 on the first day of their Championship match against Kent at Hove.

Yardy was Sussex's best batsman in the Twenty20 Cup but admitted he found the transition back to four-day cricket tough.

He said: "It was difficult to get back into it after the Twenty20 because in that type of cricket you are looking to hit every ball and for the first hour yesterday I didn't know what I was doing.

"But Murray Goodwin came in and he is such a good player to bat with because he's always at you to concentrate on every ball. It was hard work but it got easier to get back into the routine."

Sussex will have do without the injured Mushtaq Ahmed for the first time since he joined the county in 2003 - which could mean more work for Yardy with the ball.

He added: "The pitch is spinning a bit but we have got (off-spinner) Ollie Rayner as well. I bowled well in the Twenty20 but I haven't bowled under too much pressure in Champ-ionship cricket so it will be another challenge.

"We'll have to see if what we've got is a good score. It will be if you bowl in the right areas and maintain pressure. But the outfield is lightning quick so you get full value for your shots and once it gets through the ring it will go for four."