Luke Wright and Ben Brown led the Sussex fightback against Durham after lunch at Hove today.

Wright and Brown put on an unbroken stand of 144 to guide Sussex to 259-5 at tea on the opening day of their County Championship clash.

Sussex had resumed on 110-4 having been put in to bat by Durham and lost Matt Machan three balls after lunch when he was caught behind off Chris Rushworth for 22.

But with Graham Onions and Mark Wood both off the field and unable to bowl it allowed Sussex to wrestle back the initiative from the defending champions.

Wright, in particular, and Brown decided that attack was the best form of defence as they began to play their shots.

Wright brought up his 50 off 77 balls with Brown reaching his half-century off one less delivery, although both were helped by some poor fielding.

Brown was dropped twice by wicketkeeper Phil Mustard in the 40s while Wright was reprieved on 80 when Michael Richardson dropped a dolly on the midwicket boundary to the disgust of Scott Borthwick.

Wright reached the tea interval on 83 not out while Brown is unbeaten on 73.