Sussex coach Peter Moores is backing his side to bounce back when they open their home campaign in the County Championship tomorrow.

Surrey completed a ten-wicket win over Moores' men after just an hour at the Oval yesterday, leaving Sussex to lick their wounds ahead of the visit of Somerset to Hove (11am).

Mark Butcher hit an unbeaten 68 and Ian Ward was 43 not out as Surrey cruised to their target of 113 and a maximum 20 points.

Moores admitted his side, and in particular their bowlers, had learned some valuable lessons.

He said: "I don't think we looked a million miles off Surrey, but we now know just how much harder first division cricket is going to be."

James Kirtley apart, Sussex bowled poorly with Jason Lewry and Robin Martin-Jenkins looking short of match practice after their pre-seasons had been affected by injury.

Moores added: "We learned some valuable lessons. You have to build up pressure against good sides and be patient. We tended to bowl too much loose stuff instead of building up our intensity and opening them up that way.

"But the thing with our guys is that when that sort of thing happens there isn't normally a repeat. They will be chomping at the bit to get at Somerset. As long as we address where we went wrong quickly then we won't go far wrong."

Plus points for Sussex included centuries for skipper Chris Adams and Tony Cottey, his first for the county since August 2000, and Michael Yardy's gutsy 93 in the first innings when the county were forced to follow on.

"I thought we batted really well in the second innings," added Moores. "We showed good technique, left the ball really well and still played our shots.

Cottey's fourth century for the county gave Moores extra pleasure. He said: "Going to a place like the Oval, playing a good side like Surrey and scoring a hundred should be a great launching pad for him.

"It's a shame Mike Yardy didn't get his hundred, but I don't think it's far away. He has improved a lot as a cricketer and that showed in the first innings."

Cottey believes his team-mates are on an upward learning curve.

He said: "We maybe let the game get away from us with the ball on the first day, but I thought we improved each day from then on.

"I would say there were times in this game that the cricket was that bit more intense than I can remember. But I do not think this division is beyond us."

There are unlikely to be changes tomorrow although the bowlers will be under pressure to perform.

Sussex (v Somerset, probable): Montgomerie, Goodwin, Adams, Cottey, Yardy, Martin-Jenkins, Prior, Davis, Kirtley, Lewry, Hutchison.