Ollie Robinson shone for Sussex but it was not enough to stop their slipping to a first-innings deficit on the second day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at the Emirates Old Trafford.

The Sharks had began the day on 291 for nine and managed to reach 300 and pick up their third batting point, before Sean Hunt was trapped lbw by Tom Bailey for seven.

That left Stuart Meaker unbeaten on 30 in what was a good innings by the bowler .

Lancashire came out to bat and got off to the worse possible start as they slipped to 41-3 off 17 overs.

That was in part thanks to England prospect Robinson, who finished the day with figures of 2 for 51.

The 27-year-old extracted plenty of pace, bounce and movement from the Old Trafford pitch in an eight-over spell.

That saw him have Keaton Jennings taken at fourth slip by Aaron Thomason for just four and Josh Bohannon caught behind by skipper Ben Brown for 10.

George Garton then got in on the act by picking up the wicket of the experienced Steven Croft.

However, despite the Roses being in deep trouble Alex Davies and skipper Dane Vilas came to the rescue.

The pair put on 91 for the fourth wicket, before debutant Sean Hunt trapped Davies lbw for 61.

Rob Jones then picked up where Davies had left off scoring 58 from a 102 balls in a stand of 125 with his captain, before he was caught by Tom Clarke off the bowling of Jack Carson.

Villas finished unbeaten on 158 off 204 balls alongside Luke Wood, who is on 27 not out.

That left Lancashire 339 for five at the close of play and means they head into day three 38 runs ahead with five wickets remaining.

But Villas will count himself lucky to have even reached his half century let along 150.

That is after he was given a reprieve when on 47 after Garton failed to cling onto a diving catch off the bowling of Carson.

Sussex will be hoping to come up with an alternative plan to try and pick up the wicket of Villas on day three and get into the tail before the South African has chance to do much more damage to the score and their chances of winning.

But Hunt hopes his wicket will be the first of many.

He said: “I didn’t know I was going to take the new ball but it shows that Ben backs me to take early wickets, which unfortunately I didn’t, but I thought I did alright with it.

“Then I came back and took my wicket and I was very happy with that. I hope it’s the first of many.”