Sussex picked up the key wicket of England captain Alastair Cook on the second morning of their County Championship clash with Essex at Hove.

Cook was in the spotlight having failed to comply with new helmet regulations in Essex’s opening match against Gloucestershire last week.

The England Test skipper - who made a century wearing his old helmet against Gloucestershire – was threatened with sanction by the ECB if he did not switch to the new-style helmets at Hove.

Cook’s displeasure at the situation would not have been helped when he was caught at second slip for just one off the bowling of Steve Magoffin.

Sussex also picked up the wickets of Nick Browne and Ravi Bopara as they reduced Essex to 84-3 at lunch.

Ollie Robinson had Browne caught and bowled for 15 while Bopara gloved teenager George Garton to Ben Brown behind the stumps for 17.

Earlier Essex had needed just six balls to wrap up Sussex’s first innings with Jamie Porter bowling both Ajmal Shahzad and Magoffin with successive deliveries.