Sussex were rewarded for their patience as they shaded a rain-interrupted opening day of their Championship clash with Somerset at Hove.

Persistent rain throughout the morning which soaked the outfield meant play as not able to get underway until 4.30pm.

Sussex were then held up by the batting of Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton after skipper Ed Joyce had won the toss and elected to bat.

The pair put on 78 for the second wicket after Jordan had struck with his very first ball but Steve Magoffin returned to remove Compton for 41 before Jordan removed nightwatchman Jamie Overton as Somerset closed on 83-3.

Sussex stuck with the same side which pulled off a rare win at Edgbaston in their last match despite the availability of England all-rounder Luke Wright.

Having bowled out Middlesex for 105 and Warwickshire for 87 in the first innings of their opening two matches Sussex hinted at a similar demolition job when Jordan struck with his very first ball.

The England international found the edge of Chris Jones’s bat with a peach which left the opener off the pitch and Ben Brown took a straightforward catch.

Trescothick and Compton got off to a shakey start as they played and missed numerous times against Jordan and Magoffin but slowly found their feet.

Trescothick was particularly watchful in the early stages of his innings before accelerating to reach the close unbeaten on 39 while.

Compton looked in good nick after making an unbeaten century in Somerset’s last match but was undone by a lovely ball from Magoffin to be caught behind for 41.

Mike Yardy then pulled off a superb one handed catch low down at second slip to get rid of Overton for one in the penultimate over and give Jordan his second wicket.