County Championship: Gloucestershire lose late wickets at Sussex

James Bracey scored a century in Gloucestershire's last game against Yorkshire

James Bracey continued his good start to the County Championship season with 69 before Sussex claimed two late wickets to ensure first-day honours ended relatively even at Hove.

The left-handed Bracey, who made 102 against Yorkshire earlier this week, was one of three batters to score fifties before Sussex took two wickets with the second new ball as Gloucestershire reached 319-8 when play ended just after 19:15 BST.

Ben Charlesworth (62) and Miles Hammond (56) were the players to make half-centuries, sharing a stand of 106 for the third wicket in the process, but both were dismissed in successive overs.

Danny Lamb (3-49) was the pick of the Sussex seamers while off-spinner Jack Carson picked up two wickets after being introduced in the 46th over.

Ollie Robinson looked in good rhythm and would have been rewarded had Carson not dropped Bracey at third slip on 23.

Hammond also had a life, spilled by Tom Clark off Jayden Seales on 17, and he took advantage to put on a century stand with Charlesworth after Cameron Bancroft (27) and Ollie Price (eight) had both fallen to Lamb.

As the visitors progressed to 167-2, Sussex skipper John Simpson made two bowling changes that brought instant reward, with Carson dismissing Hammond before Seales had Charlesworth caught behind with his first ball after returning.

Bracey and skipper Graeme van Buuren responded by putting on 47 and apart from the reprieve given to Bracey they looked unperturbed until Fynn Hudson-Prentice trapped Van Buuren lbw for 26.

It was 264-6 when Tom Price was bowled through the gate by the impressive Carson.

Bracey and Zafar Gohar added 43 for the seventh wicket and appeared to have taken the sting out of the new ball but Sussex hit back late on when Bracey, who hit two sixes and eight fours, was out leg before to Seales and Lamb returned to claim his third wicket when Dom Goodman edged to slip.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.