Mushtaq Ahmed has been hailed as Sussex's new magician of spin.

Skipper Chris Adams was singing the praises of his side's close-season signing after the county battled through potentially their toughest day in the field so far this season.

Mushtaq's arrival is providing the Sussex attack with a new dimension after they toiled with just one recognised spinner throughout last summer.

Adams said: "He has brought us that bit of magic. He can make the difference and take wickets.

"I've been asking for a player like him at the club for a long time."

Adams was speaking after Mushtaq's haul of 6-131 had helped Sussex pin Warwickshire back to a relatively modest 350-9 on the first day of their top flight Championship tussle at Edgbaston.

The hosts looked to be running away with it after taking first use of good batting conditions Mushtaq wheeled away for 44 overs, trying his luck at both ends, and recorded his best figures yet for his new county.

He had previously claimed ten wickets in four Championship innings this season, including three three-fors.

Adams admitted: "He was exhausted at the end of the day's play but I hate to think what the score would have been without him.

"He's a class act and he loves his cricket. He gets on well with the lads, he's not hard to get on with and he has settled in very quickly."

Sussex faced a long, hard day in the field when Warwickshire newcomer Jonathan Trott was running riot in the morning but the genius of Mushtaq got them back in the game by tea.

The home side were 194-1 with Mark Wagh in support of Trott, having added 108 for the second wicket, but five wickets in the afternoon for the Pakistani leg-spinner pegged Warwickshire back to 251-6 at the second interval.

Mushtaq had taken 5-27 in 60 balls, and added another victim, Ashley Giles, after tea.

South African-born Trott arrived at Edgbaston courtesy of a British passport and owed his Warwickshire debut to Nick Knight's injury. The former England International had an operation on Thursday on a troublesome knee, and will be side-lined for up to three weeks.

Trott unfurled shots all round the wicket in reaching his first first-class century in just 118 balls, greeting James Kirtley with two classic cuts to the point boundary in the Sussex paceman's first over.

Trott was just as severe on Kirtley's fellow opener Jason Lewry, and seemed untroubled by the introduction of Mushtaq for the 12th over of the day.

The 22-year-old found himself in stellar company when he reached three figures. He is the fourth Warwickshire batsman with previous first-class experience to make a century on debut for the county, joining Rohan Kanhai, Tom Moody, and Brian Lara.

While the Sussex bowlers strove to make an impression on a flat batting strip, he was well supported by Tony Frost, Wagh and Jim Troughton, but once Mushtaq moved to the Pavilion End, Sussex burst back into contention.

The visitors showed two changes from Wednesday's one-day side, victorious against Hampshire in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. Lewry and Tony Cottey reclaimed their customary championship places at the expense of Mike Yardy and Billy Taylor. This allowed off-spinner Mark Davis to retain his place in support of Mushtaq.

Wagh was the leg-spinner's first victim, baying round a straight delivery. The out-of-form Ian Bell turned a ball round his legs into the gloves of Matthew Prior, Trott drove a leading edge to silly mid-off, Dominic Ostler was trapped in front of his stumps and Dougie Brown immediately snipped one.

When Sussex emerged in the evening, Kirtley got in on the act, persuading the stylish left-hander Troughton to feather the ball to Prior. There was some Warwickshire consolidation by Giles and Mo Sheikh, taking the home side to 298-7 when a brief flurry of rain sent the players off at 5.30pm.

On their return Mushtaq trapped Giles but there was further resistance from Sheikh and Melvyn Betts until Betts hit Kirtley lazily to cover.

Close: Warwickshire 350 for 9