County Championship: Northants and Sussex frustrated by more rain on day two

Luke Procter scored his 36th first-class fifty to go with seven hundreds

Northamptonshire battled to 292-7 on the second day of their County Championship Division Two game with Sussex at Hove before rain ended play early.

Luke Procter made 92 and Karun Nair 57 as the visitors frustrated a Sussex attack led by England seamer Ollie Robinson and West Indies paceman Jayden Seales.

A draw is the most likely result from the season opener after no play was possible after an early tea.

The hosts resumed on 95-2 with both Procter and Nair looking in good touch.

Nair brought up the fifty partnership when he cut Seales over backward-point for six before cover-driving the next delivery for four.

When Northants lost their third wicket, at 177, it was something of a gift.

Nair, who had batted with ease for his 57, hit an ordinary delivery from Danny Lamb - who was in the middle of an eye-catching gallop down the hill - straight to short extra-cover, where James Coles took a sharp catch.

At lunch Northants were 202-3, with Procter on 82 and George Bartlett, making a nervous-looking debut after signing from Somerset at the end of last season, on 17.

Procter looked more composed than his partner, so it was a surprise when, on 222, the skipper was well caught by Tom Clark at first slip as he attempted to drive Coles.

Sussex took the new ball and from the second delivery with it Seales had Bartlett caught at third slip by Coles for 27 to make it 228-5.

Robinson, in his 18th over of the innings, finally got a deserved first wicket when he had Rob Keogh caught at first slip by Tom Alsop.

Northants had lost three wickets in 10 overs but edged to their first batting point shortly afterwards.

Coles picked up his second wicket when Saif Zaib was well caught by Oli Carter at short leg.

But the rain was not far away and it drove the players from the field with tea just round the corner. Play was abandoned for the day a little more than an hour later.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.