Sussex will not have to worry about England pair Marcus Trescothick and Andy Caddick when they open their home campaign in the Frizzell County Championship today.

Neither of the centrally contracted players are in the Somerset squad for the Division One contest at Hove.

But the county will face a side intent on adding to Sussex's difficult start to life in the top division.

The Cidermen are strongly fancied to emulate last season's performance when they finished runners-up to Yorkshire.

And coach Kevin Shine, who picks from a full strength squad, says they are keen to get off to a winning start.

He said: "Steffan Jones is fully fit after bowling in the nets and we are going into the match with a strong side. The boys are desperate to get going and are champing at the bit.

"We will approach it in the same way that we have all of our matches this season, and play it hard. Sussex are a strong side and were the outstanding team in the second division last season. They have got a good attack with Lewry, Robinson and Kirtley and they also have a strong batting line up with Montgomerie, Adams and Goodwin."

All-rounder Ian Blackwell added: "Everyone is looking forward to the game. We are going to Hove looking for a result. There will be high expectations from us after all doing so well in the pre-season matches."

Sussex have a quick opportunity to put Monday's ten-wicket defeat against title favourites Surrey behind them.

Coach Peter Moores has named an unchanged squad and it seems certain the same 11 on duty at the Oval will be given another chance.

Moores said: "The lads who played against Surrey will be very keen to put in a performance and I think it's only fair that we let them have that chance and not make a knee-jerk reaction.

"We got a good idea of the standards expected in Division One and the quicker we address the problems we had at the Oval, especially with our bowling, then the better it will be."

Sussex: Montgomerie, Goodwin, Adams, Cottey, Yardy, Martin-Jenkins, Prior, Davis, Kirtley, Lewry, Hutchison.

Somerset: Cox, Wood, Burns. Bowler, Parsons, Blackwell, Turner, Dutch, Johnson, Bulbeck, Jones.