David Payne claimed 3-58 for Gloucestershire on day two of the Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex at Bristol.

Phil Salt top-scored with 64 and Luke Wells made 42 as Sussex, at one stage handily-placed on 151-1, threatened to establish a decisive first-innings advantage.

But Payne inspired a recovery of sorts, cutting a swathe through the top order to restrict the visitors to 313-7 by the close of a stop-start day on which 23 overs were lost to bad light despite the County Ground floodlights being turned on throughout.

Sussex boast a useful lead of 113 at the halfway stage, but Gloucestershire can take some encouragement from a pitch which is already flattening out and an improved weather forecast for the next two days.