Who said Sussex cannot bowl sides out?

The county’s seamers answered a few of their critics at Hove yesterday as they hustled out Worcestershire for 256 on the first day of the crucial Championship match.

None more so than the ever-improving Luke Wright who is looking more and more like a potential long-term successor to Andrew Flintoff when he takes his bow from Test cricket at the Oval next week.

Wright took 5-66, his second five-for of the season, as he and the rest of the pace attack relished an excellent pitch groundsman Andy Mackay had left with more grass on than usual to provide good pace and carry.

It was still a gamble by skipper Mike Yardy to bowl first but his decision was vindicated. The bowlers occasionally got carried away with the short stuff, particularly against Worcestershire’s elongated tail, which allowed Gareth Batty to organise some late-order resistance that saw the last three wickets put on 95.

Wright got the key wicket of Vikram Solanki in his third over when the Worcestershire captain was beaten for pace and played on but the 24-year-old put in the hard yards either side of tea when he took four of the last five wickets to fall.

Removing Steven Davies with the first ball of his spell thanks to a superb catch diving in front of slip by Andrew Hodd was the perfect confidence boost and Gareth Andrew, Imran Arif and Batty all failed to cope trying to play short balls.

It is a measure of Wright’s stamina on a hot day that he was still steaming in with as much venom in his 22nd over as his first.

Yasir Arafat provided excellent support and on another day could have had five wickets. Just when Sussex supporters were beginning to fret he made the breakthrough by persuading Daryl Mitchell to drive a slower ball to mid on during a nine over new-ball spell.

Two more overs followed before lunch and 11 during the afternoon when he picked up the obdurate Ben Smith thanks to a tumbling catch by Yardy running back from slip and Matt Mason, who somehow survived a working over by the quicks to add 44 with Batty for the eighth wicket.

Not quite Imran and Le Roux at their pomp but with Robin Martin-Jenkins and Corey Collymore offering good control too this was a good day marred only by the occasional lapse in the field with Yardy and Ed Joyce both dropping slip catches.

Unfortunately Sussex did not negotiate 16 overs before the close unscathed with Chris Nash nibbling fatally outside off stump and Joyce playing on, but they have given themselves a platform to push for their first win at headquarters for nearly two years.

l Sussex are through to the semi-finals of the 2nd XI One Day Trophy after beating Somerset by three wickets at Taunton.

Sussex successfully chased down a target of 264 with 14 deliveries to spare after Michael Thornely (60) and Joe Gatting (34) gave them a flying start with an opening stand of 103 in just ten overs.

Solid contributions from Rory Hamilton-Brown (47) and South African trialist James Kuiper (42) helped Sussex home. Leg spinner Will Beer earlier took 3-42 and former Middlesex pace bowler Chad Keegan had 2-59 as Somerset posted 263-7 after winning the toss.

Sussex should clinch a home draw in the semi finals with victory in their final group match against Essex at Hove next Tuesday.

Scores: Somerset 263-7 (Lett 93, Gazzard 63no); Sussex 264-7 (47.4 overs).