Sussex picked up two key wickets shortly before tea to grab the initiative in their County Championship match against Essex at Hove.

Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder had put on 83 together for the fifth wicket as the visitors fought their way back into the game after slipping to 106-4.

But spinner Danny Briggs removed Westley for 86 and then Ryder fell for 51 off the bowling of Ajmal Shahzad to leave Essex on 199-6 at tea in reply to Sussex’s first innings total of 360.

Westley had looked in ominous form as he brought up his 50 from 82 balls straight after lunch but lost partner Dan Lawrence when he edge Steve Magoffin behind for 11.

That brought Ryder and Westley together and they took the score on to 189-5 until Westley pulled Briggs straight to Ollie Robinson at mid-wicket.

Ryder moved to his 50 from 70 balls but was then well caught low down by Ed Joyce at first slip to give Shahzad his first wicket of the day.