There were not too many positives to come out of Sussex’s defeat at Trent Bridge this week.

Another feeble batting display resulted in a third loss in the Championship in the last four games.

But the sight of Steve Magoffin picking up 12 wickets in the match was enough to give Sussex supporters hope and make Hampshire’s batsmen anxious ahead of their visit to Hove today

Magoffin had made a slow start to the season by his exceptionally high standards but is now back on familiar ground – at the top of the division one bowlers charts.

The Australian’s figures of 12-159 against Nottinghamshire – only the second 12-wicket haul of his career – took his tally to 35 for the summer which is only equalled by Middlesex seamer James Harris.

Coach Mark Robinson believes the 35-year-old will now go from strength to strength after doing some extra work with bowling coach Jon Lewis to rediscover his metronomic accuracy.

Robinson said: “Steve had a chat with Jon Lewis and myself before the game against Nottinghamshire and admitted he wasn’t feeling how he wanted to feel. He was not quite in control of his line and length as much as he usually is but as he is a good pro he had still been finding a way to do a job for the team.

LEADING DIVISION ONE WICKET-TAKERS

  • Steve Magoffin (Sussex) 35 @ 20.00
  • James Harris (Middlesex) 35 @ 23.48
  • Chris Rushworth (Durham) 34 @ 21.70
  • Joe Leach (Worcester) 27 @ 19.85
  • Boyd Rankin (Warwicks) 26 @ 20.26

“He looked at some footage and did some work with Jon and made a slight alteration.

“It was nothing major but he was back to his best for the majority of the game at Trent Bridge.

“Apart from a brief spell in the first innings when Luke Wood was batting, he was relentless in terms of the areas he wants to hit so it is great to have him back firing on all cylinders again.”

Magoffin has had to carry a heavy load this season due to injuries to winter recruits Tymal Mills and Ajmal Shahzad and the absence of Chris Jordan on international duty with England.

Jordan has played the last two Championship games after being left out of the Test series against New Zealand but will miss today’s clash with Hampshire after being included in the squad for the ODI series against the Black Caps.

Mills continues to sit out four-day cricket due to a back problem but Shahzad could return tomorrow after recovering from the torn pectoral muscle suffered against Middlesex four weeks ago.

Robinson said: “Ajmal is touch and go. He was meant to be out for four weeks but it is a question of whether he is quite ready.

“What you have to ascertain is whether there is a danger he could make things worse by playing.

“Sometimes you might take a risk with a player but because our cover in the seam department is so thin we can’t afford for Aj to aggravate something and be out for longer.”

Skipper Ed Joyce comes back into the side after his record-breaking feats for Ireland against the UAE in Dublin while Ashar Zaidi is available again after recovering from a knee operation. Jimmy Anyon, Lewis Hatchett and Matt Prior remain long-term absentees.