Sussex's opening Championship match against Northamptonshire is heading for a draw after the entire third day was washed out.

The umpires abandoned play without a ball being bowled at 3.30pm after heavy overnight rain had seeped under the covers and made the bowlers' run-ups wet.

Northants are in the driving seat in the game having amassed 481-7 in their first innings thanks largely to an unbeaten 282 from opener Ben Duckett.

They are likely to declare overnight denying Duckett the chance of reaching his triple century.

That will leave Sussex the task of avoiding being bowled out twice inside a day and trying to collect as many batting points as possible.