Without ever being at their collective best, Sussex's bowlers dismissed Yorkshire for 272 at Headingley yesterday.

And that left them in a position to claim a second successive Championship win.

Rana Naved conceded nearly five runs an over but still picked up four wickets and Mushtaq Ahmed struck three times, all at key moments, as Yorkshire subsided from 150-3 all out.

Sussex made the most of some early movement to reduce their hosts to 24-3, but what would have impressed a decent-sized crowd, and Headingley patrons are notoriously hard to please, was the way Sussex fought back after an assault by Darren Lehmann and Anthony McGrath who threatened to put the conditions in perspective with a stand of 126 in 29 overs.

The crucial moment came five overs after lunch when Luke Wright, in the middle of another high-energy spell, launched himself in his follow through to intercept Lehmann's crunching straight drive a couple of inches from the turf. Moments like that can change the course of a day's play and that is exactly what happened.

Mushtaq picked up McGrath shortly afterwards and Rana returned after tea to top and tail the innings in a spell of 3-22 from five overs when he switched to the Rugby Stand End.

Not bad for an attack still lacking James Kirtley, who was left out because Sussex, quite rightly, felt they owed the team which beat Hampshire last week, Matt Prior's return apart, a vote of confidence.

Conditions for batting were ideal for Headingley at this time of the season with little cloud cover and a true pitch.

Chris Adams would certainly have taken first use of it had he had the choice so he would have been thrilled with the start as Sussex made short work of what looks a vulnerable Yorkshire top order.

Jason Lewry slanted his fifth delivery across Matthew Wood's defences and then trapped Michael Lumb with a ball which straightened.

Joe Sayers was surprised by Rana's extra pace and could only fend a ball which climbed on him into the gully.

Lehmann, fresh from the 75th century of his first-class career against Warwickshire, was soon showing off his considerable powers of timing and placement while McGrath soon caught the mood, matching his partner shot for shot.

Sussex managed to put the brakes on after their first 50 had come at run-a-ball pace thanks to an economical spell by Robin Martin-Jenkins which went unrewarded, although he was mighty close with two leg-before shouts against Lehmann, who struck 11 fours.

At 150-4 with Yorkshire's main man back in the hutch things suddenly looked a lot better for Sussex.

They pressed home their advantage. McGrath had relished, and won, his battle with Rana when the Pakistani dropped short too often, hitting 12 fours before he pushed firmly at Mushtaq and Carl Hopkinson held a good catch in front of the bat. Craig White, Tim Bresnan and Simon Guy all got established but only White went past 30 before he became the first of Rana's three post-tea victims, caught and bowled off a leading edge.

Mushtaq's non-pitching googly accounted for Bresnan and Jason Gillespie, Richard Dawson was beaten for pace and Prior ran 20 yards to catch Guy at full stretch off a topedged pull after he took on Rana's short ball.

Hoggard, in what is likely to be his only Championship appearance of the season, made a breakthrough in his sixth over of the replay when Montgomerie was leg before offering no shot to a ball which nipped back off the seam.