Luke Wright has been an integral part of Sussex's one-day team for two years but the signs are he is ready to come of age in Championship cricket as well.

Wright, who celebrated his 21st birthday last month, earned his place in the team for the opener against Warwickshire on the strength of some penetrative bowling in the friendly against Cardiff UCCE at the weekend.

But it was with the bat that he impressed yesterday as Sussex's lower order rallied around his maiden Championship half-century before they were bowled out for 302 against a side considered favourites to win a second title in three years.

Sussex got the bonus of a breakthrough in the 11 overs of Warwickshire's reply before the close.

Debutant Duncan Spencer, given the new ball with Jason Lewry, overcame a nervy start to beat Ian Westwood for pace in his third over.

It was the 34-year-old's first wicket for 12 years in first-class cricket. His last, Franklyn Stephenson, came playing against Sussex for Kent at TunbridgeWells in 1994.

Warwickshire closed on 33-1.

As for Wright, a winter under Peter Moores' tutelage at the England Academy has not only improved the nuts and bolts of his game but boosted his confidence as well.

The exposure he got against some good West Indies teams when he was called into the EnglandA squad in the Caribbean last month was an added bonus.

Skipper Chris Adams detected signs of Wright's growing maturity with the bat in the final game of last season when he made a composed 36 against Kent to help tilt the balance of a tight game Sussex's way.

Yesterday, in only his tenth first-class match in three years, Wright helped pull Sussex round after they had threatened to squander the advantage that winning the toss usually brings at Hove.

Coming in at 162-6 after Robin Martin-Jenkins, effectively his rival for the all-rounder's place, had been dismissed cheaply he added crucial runs with Andrew Hodd and Spencer.

Even when Wright became Heath Streak's fifth victim after just under two hours, Mushtaq Ahmed and Jason Lewry added 34 for the last wicket to give Sussex a third batting point.

There was a sense of frustration because nearly all Sussex's recognised batsmen got themselves established only to give it away to a combination of early-season rustiness and poor shot selection.

Richard Montgomerie got a good ball in the first over from Streak which swung away late to take the edge.

But his new opening partner Carl Hopkinson wasted more than two hours of dilligent application when he chased a wide one from Streak in the last over before lunch to give Dane Freddie Klokker, making his Warwickshire debut because Tony Frost had strained a muscle in his backside, the first of three catches.

Hopkinson and Mike Yardy had batted with increasing fluency in a stand of 87 in 25 overs but Streak came back up the slope to trap Yardy leg before.

After lunch Adams, who had looked in great nick, drilled a ball from Streak with tremendous power but straight into the hands of extra cover and Murray Goodwin was furious with himself when he nibbled fatally outside off stump.

When Martin-Jenkins followed four overs later in similar fashion during a typically high-energy spell by Dougie Brown, Sussex were up against it.

It was hard going for the lower order, especially against a high-class performer like Streak.

But Wright attacked when given the opportunity, pulling James Anyon for six towards a pavilion which was well populated on a typically cheerless first day of the season.

Hodd helped him put on 44 in 19 overs before he became the latest player left cursing himself all the way back to the dressing room after slow leftarmer Jim Troughton claimed only the 12th first-class wicket of his career with his arm ball.

The eighth-wicket pair put on 32 before Spencer was trapped half-forward by Brown. But Wright pressed on, hitting eight boundaries and reaching his half-century with a second six over long on off Alex Loudon.

For the third time in the day Streak returned to the attack and struck immediately when he dropped short and Wright's mis-timed pull went straight to deep mid-wicket.

But Mushtaq played with his customary freedom, although he needed square leg umpire Ian Gould's intervention when Nick Knight claimed a catch at slip which Gould ruled he had scooped up on the bounce.