County Championship: Only 38.1 overs possible on day one of Sussex v Northants

Luke Procter hit four fours and a six in his unbeaten 41

Northamptonshire enjoyed the better of the half-day's play that was possible as the County Championship Division Two season got under way at Hove.

The visitors lost the toss but their batsmen battled hard and reached 95-2 when bad light drove the players from the field just after 18:00 BST.

Play started four hours late, with 51 overs scheduled but there were only 38.1 bowled by Sussex.

The good news for the hosts - and England - was that Ollie Robinson bowled with an easy rhythm and some pace and carry from the Cromwell Road.

He opened the bowling down the hill after new Sussex captain John Simpson chose to bowl under sullen skies but there was little movement with the Kookaburra ball.

Northamptonshire were making their first visit to Hove for three years and the first runs came when the left-handed opener Emilio Gay drove Robinson wide of mid-on for four.

But Sussex broke through with the first ball of the fourth over when Gay glanced Jayden Seales down the leg-side and Simpson made a distance to his right to pull off a fine catch.

Visiting captain Luke Procter showed his intent when he pulled Seales over the square-leg boundary for a nonchalant six.

And Procter was given solid support by makeshift opener Justin Broad at the other end. Broad played an excellent back-foot drive through the covers for four off Danny Lamb.

Lamb - along with Seales and Simpson - was one of three players making his first-class debut for Sussex.

At tea, Northants had reached 58-1 from 24 overs, with Broad on 23 and Procter 29 not out.

After the interval, it was again Seales who made the breakthrough, having Broad lbw for 27.

But Procter and Karun Nair - who scored an impressive 150 against Surrey at the Oval last season - carried the away side to the close without any further loss.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.