CHRIS JORDAN has urged Sussex to keep the pressure on Gloucestershire after his three-wicket haul capped a good opening day at Bristol.

Gloucestershire’s batsmen found the going tough in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two match.

The hosts’ James Bracey, promoted to open an innings for only the second time in red-ball cricket, top-scored with 61 from 123 balls as the hosts made a promising start after being put in on a green-tinged pitch.

But Bracey proved an exception to the rule which saw so many of his team-mates succumb to variable bounce, paceman Jordan cashing in with 3-49 as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 200 inside 78 overs.

Their innings was afforded perspective when Phil Salt and Luke Wells safely negotiated 16 overs to usher Sussex to 72 without loss at the close, 128 runs behind with all first-innings wickets in hand when they resume today.

Jordan said: “That was a pretty satisfying day for us and showed we were right not to contest the toss.

“The ball was not nipping around all over the place but we got our rewards for being patient.

“When we decided to try and stifle their batsmen, that’s when things started to happen for us. We tried to restrict their scoring for as long as we could and the pressure we built told.”

He added: “For Phil Salt and Luke Wells to finish the day off like that was really pleasing. We all know what Phil is capable of and he went for his shots in that final hour.

“We scored quite quickly and that puts us in a good position when we come back. It’s just a matter of keeping on doing what we are doing and trying to press home our advantage.”