THE gloves are off already in the fight to win the Frizzell County Championship. Sussex made a most impressive start to the defence of their title at the Oval, where they had Surrey, the former champions, on the ropes for the best part of three days and now they are looking to trade punches with Lancashire at Hove today.

Last season’s runners-up are favourites to take the title this time and a mild observation from Mike Watkinson, their coach, that Sussex had been making a lot of noise since they won it triggered an instant response from Chris Adams, the champions’ combative captain.

“My only thought about Lancashire is that they are very good at complaining about anything and everything — the weather, wickets, lunch,” Adams said. “That is slightly tongue-in-cheek, because I respect them as the strongest side on paper in the first division and we will have to play well to beat them.”

They proved that they can do that against Surrey, whose new coach, Steve Rixon, was particularly impressed by the Sussex bowling attack. He said: “They were very clinical about the way they went about it — Robin Martin-Jenkins was outstanding — and I would like to think that we learnt something from them.”

Surrey will be without Martin Bicknell, who has a strained hamstring, and Alex Tudor, who is still not ready to play because of a lower-back problem, against Middlesex at Lord’s.

Geraint Jones, England’s new Test wicketkeeper, will be back in the Kent team at Canterbury, where Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s former England wicketkeeper, will be starting his 25th and last season in county cricket.

In the second division, Andrew Caddick will play for Somerset against Derbyshire at Taunton after missing most of last season with a foot injury. Andy Flower will lead Essex against Yorkshire at Headingley because Ronnie Irani is still recovering from a knee operation and Leicestershire will include four new signings — Jon Dakin, Darren Robinson, Ottis Gibson and Claude Henderson — against Glamorgan at Grace Road.