JAMIE CARPENTER is back in the Sussex team for the first time in over two months.

The 22-year-old all-rounder replaces out-of-form Mark Newell in the side for tomorrow's Championship game with Hampshire at Hove (11am).

Carpenter made five appearances earlier in the season, top-scoring with 65 against Notts, and has earned a recall after some impressive performances in the seconds.

Coach Peter Moores said: "We asked Carps to go into the seconds and score consistently and that's exactly what he's done. He deserves his chance."

Keith Newell was also in contention to replace brother Mark, whose last six Championship innings have yielded just 26 runs, but Carpenter got the nod.

It's the only change to the team that has won their last two games by an innings although Nick Wilton is on standby to keep wicket if Shaun Humphries fails to recover from a finger injury, although Moores does expect him to be fit.

Sussex are looking for their third successive Championship victory and Moores knows one more win should be enough to secure a final position in the top eight and guarantee entry into the lucrative Super Cup one-day competition next season.

"We've got nine days of cricket on the bounce at Hove and an excellent chance to keep the run going," added Moores.

"The lads are so full of confidence and determined to make themselves a tough side to beat in the remaining games, especially at home."

Australian Michael Bevan plays his last game before linking-up with the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games. He needs 165 runs to complete 1,000 for the season while skipper Chris Adams is four short of the landmark.

The county will again leave a bit more grass on the wicket in the hope that it produces extra pace, but it's unlikely to be as green as the surface Middlesex were routed on inside two days in their last match.

Hampshire have climbed to ninth in the table after an innings win over Essex but they haven't won away from home in the Championship all season and their last victory at Hove was 20 years ago.

Sussex: Peirce, Wasim Khan, Adams, Bevan, Rao, Carpenter, Martin-Jenkins, Humphries or Wilton, Kirtley, Lewry, Robinson.

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