Chris Jordan reckons the sky is the limit for his blossoming Sussex team-mate Jofra Archer.

The Barbadian-born pair shared an unbroken century stand to keep Sussex on terms in their Championship match with Essex at Colchester.

They have so far added 119 for the seventh wicket to rescue their side from a perilous 173-6.

Jordan took the four wickets for five runs in 6.5 overs to polish off the home innings and then returned to revive his side with the bat along with his protege.

Archer is emerging as a red hot prospect for Sussex and Jordan is a massive influence on him.

Jordan said: “I first came across him probably in 2011 or 2012 when I played a couple of first-class seasons in Barbados and he came along to bowl at us in the nets.

“I kept my eye on him and took him under my wing because I really liked his character and how he went about his cricket. He is not afraid of challenging himself.

“Then I found out he had a British passport and he came to me and said he wanted an opportunity in England.

“I couldn’t think of a much better place or environment than Sussex.

“The sky is the limit for him. He’s got a great cricketing brain.

“As you can see with bat and ball, there is not much he can’t do.

“As long as he stays grounded, keeps his head and keeps looking to improve the sky really is the limit.

“What you are seeing right now is just raw talent.”

Jordan will have reminded Archer ahead of day three that there is still a lot of work to do.

He added: “The pitch is still a good pitch and we feel the way we finished of the tail was really good.

“It was then unfortunate that after such a great start we lost so many quick wickets but me and Jof have clawed back a bit of respect.

“First and foremost me and Jof have to negotiate the first hour in the morning and then see where we are.

“We have to be a bit sharper against the new ball because there is still plenty of bounce in the pitch and we have to be ready for it.”

Ed Joyce and Chris Nash put on 124 for the first wicket but, when they were parted, Sussex lost six wickets for 49 runs in 18 overs.

Joyce dominated the opening stand to the extent that, when Nash square-cut David Masters to bring up the century stand, he had 74 to his partner’s 26. The Irishman hit 13 fours in a 119-ball 92, including a succession of crisp boundaries sent scudding through the covers plus one particularly noteworthy cut off Graham Napier.

Nash was the first to go, having played the anchor role with 35 off 99 balls before he gave a low catch to wicketkeeper James Foster off Masters.

He was quickly followed by Luke Wells, who hooked Napier to Porter at fine leg.

Joyce’s attractive knock was ended when he top-edged Porter to Tom Moore at deep fine leg and Moore had David Wiese caught by Nick Browne diving forward at first slip.

The tea interval didn’t stem the tide. Ben Brown tried to work Napier to mid-wicket, got there too early and was caught by Moore, and then Luke Wright flicked at Masters down legside to give Foster another victim.

But Jordan and Archer steadied the innings before accelerating in the evening.

Archer, 21, outscored his more experienced partner initially with a flurry of well-struck boundaries, and took Sussex past the follow-on threshold by hooking Porter for six. Not to be outdone, Jordan pulled ten Doeschate over the ropes.

Archer reached his maiden first-class fifty from 79 deliveries (eight fours, one six) and will look to keep going today.