Sussex's patient approach paid dividends as the county put themselves in a strong position after the first day of their crucial Championship match against Worcestershire.

Batting was not easy in the first half of the day, but the value of Richard Montgomerie's determined 69 became more apparent when the sun came out and the strokeplayers in Sussex's middle order began to dominate a depleted Worcestershire attack with Murray Goodwin and Matt Prior amassing 119 in 35 overs.

Sussex went into the game still in the relegation places, but this match is evenmore crucial to their opponents.

Worcestershire are just 14 points and one position above the champions, but they have played two more games and defeat here would make it hard for them to avoid an immediate return to Division Two with only two matches left after this.

The Pears' enduring wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes is due to retire at the end of the season, but any hopes he had of winding down his career gently ended abruptly a week ago when he was appointed captain following the surprise resignation of Ben Smith.

Rhodes could have been forgiven for thinking the fates are conspiring against him. Already without Kabir Ali, who was playing in a Test match with James Kirtley a year ago this week, he lost Andy Bichel in the first over after lunch when the Australian pulled up with a hip injury which was due to be scanned in hospital last night.

Bichel is unlikely to bowl again in the match and may not even be able to bat with a runner. It was a cruel blow for the visitors. Bichel produced an excellent new ball spell which might have brought him more than just the wicket of Ian Ward who got a regulation nick to second slip in the fifth over.

It must have been tempting for Chris Adams to let his bowlers have first use of a green-tinged pitch when play began an hour late after morning showers.

Rhodes was certainly pleased the decision had been taken out of his hands.

But appearances can be deceptive at Hove and by the close the decision to bat first had been thoroughly vindicated.

Tony Cottey was dropped by Graeme Hick in the slips in Bichel's fourth over and Sussex's run rate did not get much above three an over.

But Montgomerie prospered after lunch and must have had his eye on a first Championship hundred of the season when he tried to cut a ball which was too close to his body from Zimbabwean slow left-armer Ray Price.

Matt Mason, who knows these parts well having played Sussex League cricket for Three Bridges a few years ago, was rewarded for some disciplined swing bowling when Cottey edged to second slip in the next over. Sussex were 109-3 and in a spot of bother.

But Goodwin was bristling with aggressive intent from the start. He came down the pitch to drive Price past mid-off for a sumptious boundary, and it was not long before a few more candidates emerged for shot of the day.

Adams caught his partner's mood and the pair quickly added 61 runs. Off-spinner Gareth Batty was collared on several occasions, particularly by Adams, and it was a surprise when Batty deceived Adams with his arm ball in the over before tea.

More rebuilding lay ahead after the interval as Mason, in particular, probed away without much luck.

But Prior refuses to be dominated. He drove two perfectly respectable length balls from Batty either side of the bowler to the boundary and Batty's frustration increased when he dropped a sharp chance at square leg off Mason when Prior was on 24.

How costly that turns out to be will become evident in the next day or two. Prior played with increasing fluency after his reprieve, cracking Andrew Hall for a couple of majestic cuts through backward point before clipping the South African over mid-wicket for six.

Goodwin pulled the same bowler for another six, reaching his half-century in the over before his partner off 102 balls.