Three players will make their first-class debuts when Sussex play Sri Lanka at Hove over four days, starting today (11am).

Cricket manager Mark Robinson has rested most of his big names and there are only three survivors from the team which took Sussex to the top of the Championship with victory over Nottinghamshire last week.

The debutants are batsman Neil Turk, off-spinner Ollie Rayner and seamer Tim Linley while Chris Nash and Sean Heather play their first first-class game since the tourist match against Bangladesh a year ago.

Sussex may get some stick for fielding a below full-strength side but Robinson is unrepentant.

He said: "Others may look at it differently but for me it's a really exciting side because it gives these boys a chance to show what they are worth. I keep stressing that everybody on our staff is capable of playing regular first-class cricket, they would not be here if we didn't think that.

"We have had a tough start to the season and some of our players are feeling a bit jaded so it's an opportunity to let them rest although they will be in to train on Friday and Saturday."

James Kirtley will captain the side in his first first-class appearance of the season since remodelling his bowling action. Duncan Spencer, whose trial has been extended for a second month, will be his new-ball partner.

Sussex: Montgomerie, Hopkinson, Nash, Turk, Heather, Hodd, Wright, Rayner, Spencer, Kirtley, Linley.

Sri Lanka: Tharanga, Mubarak, Vandort, Sangakkara, Jayawardenee, Samaraweera, Kapugedera, Jayawardene, Kulasekara, Zpysa, Malinga , Bandara.