Sussex's poor start to the season continued as they were put to the sword by Riki Wessels at Trent Bridge.

Wessels smashed his way to an exhilarating career-best knock of 202 not out as Nottinghamshire recovered from 88-5 to post a mammoth total of 447 having been put in by Sussex skipper Luke Wright.

Sussex were already reeling after Wessels - who was dropped on 47 - had plundered his runs from 177 balls, hitting 22 fours and seven sixes, and a bad day got worse as they slumped to 11-3 in reply.

Steve Magoffin was the pick of an inexperienced Sussex attack which featured debutant Adam Barton with figures of 5-51. Jofra Archer picked up 3-155 but it was a testing day for Barton and Stuart Whittingham who both suffered badly at the hands of Wessels and Stuart Broad, who scored 57 in a partnership of 132 for the eighth wicket.

A fairly forgettable day for Sussex ended with their first innings in total disarray as James Pattinson and Broad snared three wickets in just nine deliveries.

Pattinson removed Chris Nash lbw for one and sent the stumps of nightwatchman Whittingham cartwheeling out of the ground. In between, Broad ended Harry Finch’s short stay on one, thanks to another successful leg before wicket appeal.