Luke Wright and Ben Brown instigated a Sussex fight-back only to both fall just before lunch on the third day of their Championship clash with Hampshire.

Sussex began the day leading by just one run with only five second innings wickets remaining and soon lost nightwatchman Steve Magoffin.

But Brown and Wright put on a stand of 120 for the seventh wicket before Wright was needlessly run out for 84.

Sussex’s hopes of winning the game suffered another setback when Brown gloved a ball that bounced viciously from Jackson Bird to first slip for 52.

That double blow left Sussex on 263-8 at lunch and needing some heroics from their tail to stretch a lead which currently stands at 122.

Hampshire’s hopes of wrapping up a quick win were boosted when Fidel Edwards had Magoffin caught at slip for a duck with his fourth ball.

It was the West Indian paceman’s fifth wicket of the innings and he should have had another when Brown looped a catch to Danny Briggs at square leg only for the spinner to spill the chance.

Brown had only made 13 at the time but made the most of the reprieve as he reached his half century from 84 balls.

Wright completed his second 50 of the game – and fifth of the season – from 67 balls but a first century of the season eluded him when he was called through for a quick single by Brown and was beaten by a direct hit from Will Smith.

There was nothing Brown could do ten balls later when a ball from Bird exploded off the pitch and Sean Ervine took a low catch at first slip.