Matt Hobden cut a swathe through Warwickshire’s middle order to help give Sussex the upper hand at tea on the second day of their Championship match at Hove.

Hobden took career-best Championship figures of 4-41 in ten hostile overs as Warwickshire reached 174-7 in their second innings, an overall lead of 163 with Rikki Clarke undefeated on 29.

He made the ideal start to his spell by removing Chris Wright (22) with his first ball before claiming the key wicket of Jonathan Trott (16), who was also caught at second slip.

Hobden then ended Tim Ambrose’s counter-attacking 32 and bowled Laurie Evans with one that kept low.

A pitch on which 27 wickets have fallen in five sessions has continued to provide encouragement for the seamers. Ollie Robinson, who took 6-33 in the first innings, squared up Ateeq Javid (27) and Keith Barker lost his off stump to Steve Magoffin for a duck.

Earlier, Luke Wells made 92 as Sussex were dismissed for 191, a lead of 11.