Rob Keogh led a fightback by LV County Championship Division One basement club Northamptonshire against Sussex on day two at Wantage Road.

The home side are 251-7 at the game's midway stage, with an unbeaten 104 from Keogh moving them to within 117 of Sussex's first innings score of 368.

The visitors began briskly, resuming on 300-7, with Ashar Zaidi and Steve Magoffin bringing up a century partnership.

Despite James Middlebrook's off-spin offering turn and with Graeme White off the field with a finger injury, bat dominated ball early on, with Sussex going at a run a minute.

Olly Stone's introduction ceased the flow as the first hour ended, when he bowled Zaidi 12 runs short of his maiden Championship century.

However, Magoffin reached his half-century with a flashing cut off Neil Wagner - his first for Sussex.

Stone induced the edge to see the Australian caught behind by Adam Rossington and five balls later Chris Liddle followed as Sussex's innings ended on 368 - with the 21-year-old Stone finishing with career-best figures of 5-68.

When Magoffin had the ball in his hand, the leading wicket-taker in Division One ripped out Stephen Peters and James Kettleborough to leave the home side 17-2 at lunch.

However, Middlebrook and Keogh steadied Northamptonshire before Middlebrook perished in unusual fashion.

With the Australian brought back to break up the partnership, umpire Peter Willey deemed he had broken the stumps in the delivery stride. Willey initially signalled no-ball, but after consultation with both sides, he changed his mind after it was felt the strong westerly winds had blown a bail off and dead ball was then called.

However, with the seventh ball of the 30th over Middlebrook, on 48, drove to Zaidi at mid off, and was run out comfortably thanks to a direct hit.

Rossington soon followed Middlebrook, but a partnership of 99 between Keogh and 19-year-old Ben Duckett kept the hosts interested.

Although Duckett fell before the close, followed by Andrew Hall, Keogh would reach his century in the final over of the day - bowled by off-spinner Luke Wells.

Keogh, at the non-striker's end at the time, said of the bizarre dismissal: ''I don't think anyone realised at the time.

''I know Peter was asking the scorers whether there was one ball left and there was a delay - but they decided to get on with the game. It's just one of those things.''