Sussex are within sight of third place in the County Championship, having put themselves in a good position against bottom club Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The visitors only need to avoid defeat on the final day tomorrow and, on 209-3, in their second innings with an overall lead of 283, they look well set to do at least that.

They began today strongly, mopping up Northamptonshire's tail inside 80 minutes, for 294. Under cloudy skies, Neil Wagner was trapped in front for five - a decision he didn't appreciate - with Graeme White caught cheaply at slip, to give Australian seamer Steve Magoffin his 71st and 72nd wickets of another profitable season.

Yesterday's centurion Rob Keogh added 23 for the tenth wicket with last man Azharullah but, when Keogh's 253-ball vigil for 129 was ended by a sharp Chris Nash catch off his own bowling, Northants were 74 behind. With the home side's attach offering little penetration, Luke Wells and Ed Joyce calmly added 83 for Sussex's second wicket after the early loss of Chris Nash.

A period of ten overs after lunch produced just 12 runs, but Azharullah was recalled to bowl Joyce for 48, ending the Irishman's best first-class season in nearly a decade. After turning 36 on the opening day of this game, Joyce has scored 1,454 first-class runs with eight centuries to his name in his best season since arriving from Middlesex in 2009.

In his captain's absence, Wells powerfully hit the bad ball to reach 91 not out, including a six over mid-wicket off James Middlebrook, who is playing in his last game for the hosts.

Wells has passed 50 on seven previous occasions in the Championship but he was prevented from reaching three figures for the first time by bad light, which brought close half an hour early.

Sussex do not need to force their hand to finish third but, if they do decide to declare with an overnight advantage of nearly 300, Magoffin is likely to be the spearhead.