Hove

(Day one of four)

Sussex are 103 for two against Kent (Hopkinson 34)

Lunch

Play was delayed until the afternoon at Hove as rain took its time to clear, but 79 overs remained when Sussex started batting at 1.15pm. Robert Key, newly restored to the England development, was unable to play - or even to travel - because of a virus for which he is having blood tests. His deputy, Martin Van Jaarsveld, took the bold but surprising decision to put Sussex in, hoping to exploit some early dampness in the pitch.

There was indeed some life on an essentially flat pitch but after an hour's batting Sussex, unchanged, were 56 for the loss of Chris Nash, who was bowled off his front pad by Rob Joseph. Neil Dexter replaced Key and Joseph took over from Martin Saggers in the eleven beaten last week by Nottinghamshire.

Tea

A quite unnecessary run out shortly before tea put Sussex on the back foot again at a point when they seemed likely to make Kent pay for putting them in at Hove this afternoon. Carl Hopkinson, not, it seems, one of life's lucky cricketers, was over the worst and batting promisingly when he called for a risky single to mid-on off James Tredwell, got the benefit of the umpire's doubt as the throw by Rob Joseph hit the stumps from mid-on but was then well short at the other end when Mike Yardy called him for a second run as the ball cannoned halfway to the third-man boundary. Hopkinson had overrun the crease at the bowler's end and hesitated as he saw Kent's acting captain, Martin Van Jaarsveld, closing on the ball from slip. Hopkinson was well short when Geraint Jones whipped off the bails.

Van Jaarsveld made an odd decision to bowl first, despite the fact that rain had not eased until late morning. The choice, his because Rob Key has missed the match with a nasty virus, must have had something to do with Kent's first innings collapse after choosing to bat first against Nottinghamshire last week. And, naturally, with Key's absence, meaning that James Tredwell will open the batting.

Kent did have an early success when Chris Nash was bowled by Joseph, playing across a ball of full length.