Everything came up roses for Murray Goodwin yesterday as the Zimbabwean became the second Sussex batsman to score a century at Hampshire's plush new headquarters.

Three weeks after Bas Zuiderent's unbeaten 102 won the county a Benson and Hedges Cup tie, Goodwin ended any spurious argument that he is not suited to opening the innings by batting all day at the Rosebowl.

Goodwin batted stayed at the crease to finish on 131 not out as Sussex reached 290-4.

Goodwin has scored consistently well in one-day cricket in the first six weeks of the season, but one or two people wondered whether he should try and regain some Championship form further down the order after scoring 15 runs in his previous four innings.

The 28-year-old may prefer to bat at No. 4, but with Sussex struggling to find a reliable opening partner for Richard Montgomerie, he was quite happy to occupy a role he has performed efficiently in one-day cricket.

Yesterday the pair put on 106 and significantly it was Sussex's first century partnership for the first wicket since the game against Glamorgan exactly a year ago.

They were getting those sort of solid starts two seasons ago when Montgomerie and Toby Peirce formed a highly effective right and left handed alliance.

Chris Adams won a good toss and will have been pleased that his side made the most of it because it was by no means the batsman's paradise it had appeared at the start under a cloudless blue sky.

It was left slightly damp at the start in order to prevent it from breaking up quickly and bowlers who put their back in benefitted from good bounce, especially at the Hambleton end.

Shaun Udal, fresh from a match-winning 7-74 haul against Derbyshire earlier in the week, extracted some slow turn in two lengthy spells after lunch, but Hampshire may regret only playing four specialist bowlers.

Montgomerie, who scored his first Championship century of the season earlier in the week, believes playing with Goodwin has helped him in his efforts to adopt a more positive approach and there was nothing wrong with his two opening salvos, a hook and powerful leg side push which brought him boundaries in the first over.

Udal was on inside the first hour, but the Sussex openers mixed watchful defence with the occasional attacking flourish when the seamers strayed off line.

Montgomerie offered one chance on 22 when he edged Mullally just short of third slip, but he was first to his fifty in the 40th over when he punched a glorious drive through extra cover off Udal for his sixth boundary.

Goodwin, neat, compact and judicious in his shot selection, followed him to a half-century in the next over when he effortlessly eased Dimitri Mascarenhas off the back foot through point and the pair seemed well set.

But one moment's mis-judgement proved Montgomerie's downfall in the next over when he offered no shot to Udal's arm ball and was left cursing his mistake almost before the ball hit the stumps.

Mullally returned to the attack and bowled a superb spell which brought him the wicket of Michael Yardy when he pushed at a ball which wasn't quite there to drive and instead got a thick edge to second slip.

Zuiderent was given a severe examination of his defensive technique early on and the double teapot pose adopted by Mullally after the Dutchman had played and missed at four of the first five balls he'd faced suggested that he didn't think Zuiderent was up to the task.

But a superbly well-timed off drive off his 16th delivery released the shackles and as he settled down, Zuiderent began to play with plenty of composure, even when Mullally switched his line of attack.

Goodwin, meanwhile, was playing himself back into form, content to wait before dispatching the bad ball with brutal efficiency.

When Mullally dropped short in the 85th over, Goodwin pulled him with murderous power to bring up his century with his 12th four, much to the delight of his team-mates who gave him a standing ovation in front of the dressing room.

The third wicket pair had put on 92 in 37 overs with Zuiderent contributing 45 of them when he was needlessly run out in the next over.

Goodwin pushed Udal firmly to mid off, too firmly as it turned out. Alec Morris hurled the return in to the striker's end and Zuiderent was run out by inches as Adrian Aymes whipped off the bails.

Still, 236-3 on the board was a nice sight for Adams as he feels his way back in after a month on the sidlelines with a broken thumb.

He was soon getting to the pitch and lofting Udal over the top for a couple of boundaries while at the other end Goodwin played with much freedom as he'd shown all day, adding three more boundaries.

The pair had put on 52 in 14 overs for the fourth wicket without alarm so it was something of a surprise when Adams, who'd just drilled Morris through extra cover for his fifth boundary, was trapped in front when Morris pushed his next delivery through a bit quicker.

Nevertheless Sussex are in a strong position and they will fancy their chances of toppling the leaders if they can put 400 or so on the board sometime today.