Sussex will not rush James Kirtley back into first-team action.

The county's premier fast bowler is still working on his re-modelled action a month after being cleared to continue his career after he was banned during the winter for a suspect action.

Instead of facing Warwickshire in the Championship opener at Hove yesterday, Kirtley played in a second-team friendly against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

Cricket manager Mark Robinson said: "We're happy with James's action and the progress he is making.

"But he came up to myself and (skipper) Chris Adams to say he didn't think he was quite ready even though he had originally targeted the Warwickshire game.

"He's not happy with his control of line and length at the moment and so he's going to keep working on things. James sets himself very high standards.

"I wouldn't put a time on when he will return to the first team. It's very much a game of patience for James who is learning what works and what doesn't with his new action every day at the moment."

Kirtley, 31, was banned for the second time in his career last October after twice being reported for a suspect action in Championship matches last season, ironically against Warwickshire on the second occasion in August. He worked dilligently with Robinson to remodel his action during the winter and claims not to have lost any pace out of the hand although has cut his run-up by a third.

Kirtley, who has taken 576 first-class wickets for the county, took two wickets in the friendly against Cardiff UCCE on Monday. He followed that with 2-41 in three spells as Sussex went down by 27 runs to Hampshire in a friendly at the Rose Bowl yesterday.

Sussex were set 232 to win in the 50-overs-a-side contest after skipper Chris Benham hit 87 and Greg Lamb 52. Ollie Raynor took 4-54. Sussex, 10-2 at one stage, recovered with Chris Nash (69) and Michael Thornely (52) sharing a thirdwicket stand of 128. They closed on 204-8.