Sussex may still be second favourites to secure their first ever Championship title but they are certainly playing like a side of winners at the moment.

Events at Colchester yon Day 2 followed a predictable pattern, but no one in a large contingent of Sussex supporters at Castle Park was complaining.

Matt Prior and Jason Lewry both made career-bests as the county smashed another 91 runs in the first hour before they were bowled out for 612, the seventh-highest total in their history.

And although Darren Robinson and Will Jefferson confidentally launched Essex's reply with a century stand, once Mushtaq Ahmed had removed Jefferson wickets fell regularly as the relegation-threatened hosts gave the impression that they did not have much stomach for a prolonged fight.

They were bowled out for 283 and, batting again still 329 behind, they reached 23-0 at the close.

Mushtaq took his tally for the season to 86 with four more victims, but it was not all about the leg spinner for once.

There were wickets for all three seamers and two for off-spinner Mark Davis, the last five coming in the last session as Essex subsided from 208-4 to 283 all out.

In short, the sort of all-round team effort which Sussex have consistently produced all season to get themselves into the position where they are on the verge of making history.

What will have disappointed Essex coach Graham Gooch, who was wearing a more woebegone expression than usual as he watched from his eyrie in the pavilion, is that three of his top four got starts but failed to kick on.

The pitch is certainly not getting any easier to bat on. The Sussex seamers got several balls to explode through the surface off a good length but too many of Gooch's charges were their own worst enemies.

Whereas Murray Goodwin, Richard Montgomerie and Prior all cashed in after reaching 50, Robinson, Jefferson and Andy Flower all gave their wickets away after appearing to have done the hard work.

Needing 463 just to avoid the follow on must have been a daunting prospect for the Essex openers when they began their reply an hour before lunch, but Robinson and Jefferson initially appeared to relish the task.

The 6ft 10in Jefferson timed his front foot shots superbly while Robinson seemed to have the measure of Mushtaq early on as he found the gaps on the leg side.

Jefferson hit 11 boundaries as he raced to a half-century off just 50 balls in the 23rd over, but that was as good as it got for Essex. Sweeping Mushtaq for the first time just after lunch, he picked out one of only two fielders on the leg side and from 101-0 the innings went into steady decline.

Robinson's knock included ten fours and on 64 he looked well set. But when Mushtaq ran one back into him he guided the ball gently into the hands of second slip and straight away Aftab Habib padded up to a googly. Only the thinnest of inside edges prevented Essex captain Ronnie Irani from becoming the hat-trick victim.

Irani did not last too much longer though, caught off the glove in the 45th over when Billy Taylor got one to lift off a length.

While Flower remained there was hope for Essex. He reached an accomplished sixth half-century of the season in the first over after tea, made off 96 balls with eight fours, but when Tim Ambrose took an outstanding catch to his left as the ball died on him to reward an excellent spell by Lewry, Sussex sensed the opportunity for a quick kill.

James Foster, who had played dilligently in making 31, was punished for his only mistake when he swept at Davis from too far outside off stump and Montgomerie held another excellent catch at short leg.

In the off-spinner's next over Jon Dakin was pinned in front by one which kept low and, with Tony Pallidino unable to bat after dislocating his shoulder on the first day, Essex were effectively eight down.

While Mushtaq rested after bowling 22 overs on the bounce, Graham Napier and James Middlebrook took the opportunity to play a few shots, adding 62 in 14 overs. But as soon as Mushtaq reappeared at the pavilion end Napier tried to drive against the spin and was caught at extra cover.

Robin Martin-Jenkins' perseverance was rewarded with the wicket of Middlebrook and Essex had lost their last five for 75.

What's more they had to face an uncomfortable seven overs in their second innings before the close, their first target 330 to make Sussex bat again.

Robinson and Jefferson knocked 23 off the arrears, but there are not too many people making plans to be here on Saturday.

Earlier, there had almost been an inevitability about the way Prior and Lewry plundered runs in the first hour to take Sussex past 600 for only the ninth time in their history.

Lewry finally achieved his ambition of a maiden half-century in his ninth season in the county game and, having got to 70, must have been considering the tantalising prospect of turning into something even more memorable.

But on 70, having struck 12 fours and a six off just 65 balls, he tamely clipped Middlebrook's off breaks to mid-wicket.

Last man Taylor hung around long enough to help Prior set another record as Sussex passed their previous best against Essex, the 611 they made at Leyton back in 1930.

Prior's unbeaten 153 was made off just 134 balls with 19 fours and three sixes. It was his third century of the season and he has not batted better in his three years with Sussex.

Close: Essex 1st innings 283 all out; 2nd innings 23 for 0