Chris Nash is delighted to see his fellow opener back in the runs.

Now the interim Sussex captain hopes his own hard work bears fruit as he looks to lead his side to an away win.

Nash remains in charge for the Championship tussle with Leicestershire at Grace Road starting today as the county look to follow up their big win over Worcestershire at Hove.

Harry Finch laid the foundations for that success with 82 on the first day after Sussex had been put in to bat.

Top-order batting had been under the spotlight until then with Finch due a score. Both openers are still only averaging around 17.

Now Nash, who looked like he was well set until mis-timing a pull to mid-wicket on 22, wants to put right what he sees as a lack of runs rather than a lack of form.

He told The Argus: “I’ve worked really hard and, a bit like Finchy, as an opening batsman you can be playing well and just out of runs.

“If you are getting hit on the pad all the time and missing straight ones, then you are out of form.

“That hasn’t been the case. Me and Finchy have worked really hard up top. As an opening batsman you can have times when you are out of runs and playing well.

“You keep working hard. I’ve played a lot of cricket so I know you just keep banging away.

“I have had plenty of runs like this in my time and it’s just part and parcel of the job.

“Finchy has kept working hard, believing. Then, when you get in, you go big.”

Sussex are averaging 16 for their first wicket in the Championship this season and have only really got going in two of their eight innings.

But Nash says he has not let that get to him – and he hopes Finch feels similarly.

He said: “Maybe when I was younger I felt the pressure. Maybe Finchy felt it before the Worcestershire game.

“Part of the job in England is that you have to work really hard to protect yourself and keep doing what you believe in and not change too much.

“If it worked last year, it will work this year if I keep the faith.

“It is amazing how different one year can be. I don’t think I got below ten this year and this year it is hard to get to ten!

“It’s just the way it is. You don’t change anything, you keep working hard and then when you get in you go big.”

Sussex will review the captaincy situation after the Leicester trip.

They have an A team game against South Africa A next week which could allow vice-captain Ben Brown a chance to return after a broken finger.

But Nash said his team-mates helped him through the Worcestershire game after he took over from Luke Wright.

He said: “We have a lot of experienced bowlers. My job is to make sure they get what they want.

“I think if you have got a team of young guys, you have to give them real leadership and guidance and push them in the right direction.

“When you look at the players we have got, we have internationals, we have God knows how many first-class wickets in that attack.

“We have got someone like Jofra Archer, who knows what he is doing.

“For a captain coming in, I think it is just a case of telling them when they are on, telling them when they are off and whether it’s three slips or four.

“They all know what they are doing. I think it is just bouncing ideas and giving them the confidence they need.”