As gambles go, it wasn't as long a shot as the punter who staked 30p on the outcome of 14 sporting results and won £500,000.

But Sussex were still taking something of a risk last September when they signed a player neither coach Peter Moores or captain Chris Adams had even seen play before.

But Keith Greenfield had, and when he insisted they recruited off-spinner Mark Davis after he'd bowled out Surrey in a second team match the county quickly snapped up the 29-year-old on a three-year contract.

Barely a month into the new season, it's a decision neither party is regretting.

Sussex now have a quality off-spinner, capable lower order batsman, great team man and someone with more captaincy experience than the captain himself rolled into one.

Davis led Northerns in South Africa for five seasons before deciding to try his luck in English cricket. He qualifies through his Sussex-born father and seems to be enjoying the company of his new team-mates as much as they have taken to him.

Davis said: "The guys have been great and it obviously helps that we have had some good results so far."

It's very rare for counties to play two spinners in the first half of the season and it's virtually unheard of at Sussex.

But Davis has been a regular alongside Umer Rashid since missing the rain-ruined opener against Worcestershire, playing a big part in helping the side confound their critics with a run of five successive wins which only came to an end with Wednesday's Benson and Hedges Cup defeat against Surrey.

Pitches have offered him little assistance so far, but Davis has caught the eye instead with subtle changes of pace, teasing flight and a consistent length.

"The wickets haven't offered a lot which I expected so I have had to mix it up a bit, but you know I love the contest with the batsmen, of being out there where the battle is, " he added.

Davis has also given a previously brittle batting line-up more ballast. Coming in at No.9, the unbeaten 42 he made in the win over Nottinghamshire has left him top of the early season averages.

If the sun keeps shining Sussex's spinners can expect plenty of work in the second half of the summer, so the man from Port Elizabeth was delighted to put his feet up for a few days last week and reflect on a promising start to his county career.

"In South Africa we sometimes had weeks off between games so the schedule takes some getting used to," he said.

"I'm not complaining because I want to prove myself in England, but it was nice to relax and put my feet up for a bit because we have a lot of cricket coming up."

Moores believes Davis could turn out to be one of their best signings for some time.

"He's what I call a proper senior pro," said Moores. "He's a real competitor who just enjoys being involved and having him and Matt Prior coming in down the order gives us so many more batting options."

Signing someone they'd never seen play was a gamble, but the signs are that Sussex have struck lucky.