Laurie Evans continued his good form ahead of the new County Championship season by top scoring on the opening day of Sussex’s final warm-up game against Cardiff MCCU.

Evans – who joined from Warwickshire in the winter – made 84 from 123 balls to help guide Sussex to 317-8 declared at Hove yesterday having slipped to 142-5 at one stage.

The 29-year-old put on 102 for the sixth wicket with former Leicestershire wicketkeeper Michael Burgess – who scored 46 from 91 deliveries – who is standing in for Ben Brown while he recovers from concussion.

Jofra Archer enhanced his prospects of being selected for the opening Championship game against Kent next Friday by hitting an unbeaten 41 from 63 deliveries and then claiming the wicket of opener Matthew Norris for a duck as Cardiff closed on 7-1.

Chris Nash (29) and Harry Finch (32) also spent valuable time in the middle as they put on 74 for the first wicket before both fell to Kamau Leverock – nephew of Dwayne Leverock who made headlines when he claimed a stunning one-handed catch playing for Bermuda at the 2007 World Cup.

Leverock also removed former Bermuda team-mate Delray Rawlins for 21 as he returned figures of 3-57 while Stiaan van Zyl’s first innings as a Sussex player saw him make 25 before being trapped lbw by Oliver Pike who went on to bowl skipper Luke Wright third ball for just one.

David Wiese did not feature having only arrived from South Africa on Wednesday morning but is expected to be in the team to play Kent along with Vernon Philander who flies in on Monday.