Sussex threw caution to the wind against Yorkshire at Headingley, knowing that victory against the County Champions would secure their First Division status regardless of what happened elsewhere.

The charge was led by Mike Yardy in his last match before retirement.

He helped them recover from 70-5 in reply to Yorkshire's first innings score of 251 with a rousing 70 off just 81 balls with 13 boundaries before being ninth out at 211.

The last wicket pair of Chris Liddle and Lewis Hatchett then advanced the score to 248 which left Sussex only three runs in arrears and before these had been cleared off Alex Lees was out for a first ball duck when he drilled back a catch to Chris Jordan.

Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance then slowed down the rapid progress of the match with a carefully controlled partnership which moved Yorkshire on to 55-1 when bad light ended play six overs early.