Sussex’s spinners are being given a stage on which to perform at Hove.

But that brings its own weight of expectation.

That is part of the reason why Paul Farbrace felt Jack Carson had "probably" his best game for the county over last weekend.

The spinner helped his county beat Gloucestershire by four wickets in the Vitality County Championship at Hove.

He took 3-78 and 3-45 to help Sussex set up an accessible victory target of 144 on the final afternoon.

Decent figures, if not exactly headline-grabbers. But just as key was the timing of the wickets – and what he was doing when the breakthroughs weren’t coming.

Carson, whose economy rate was close to four runs per over in the Championship last season and 4.63 in the first innings this time, went for just 45 off 25 overs as Gloucestershire batted second time around.

That helped ensure they did not get away even when they went through the morning session on day four without losing any wickets.

It was Carson who took two wickets in the space of three balls soon after lunch to open the door.

Head coach Farbrace rated it perhaps his best game for the county.

He said: “I thought the calmness he showed, the control of his pace and length were outstanding.

“The spell he bowled on Sunday night (in Gloucestershire’s second innings) to back-up the seamers meant that, although we weren’t taking wickets, actually Gloucestershire were going nowhere.

“The same again on Monday morning. He kept us in the game.

“Even when we came off at lunchtime, even though they had batted brilliantly for that session, they were only 94-6 effectively.

“That’s the difference, when your spinners can not only hold the game but then can take wickets as well.

“Last year we tried to get wickets to spin a little bit more here, which puts a little bit of pressure when you are a young spinner and there is expectation.

“I have never met a spinner in the game who likes the expectation dumped on them that, if the ball is spinning, you should get wickets because it puts pressure on.

“Jack and James Coles are young people who are learning how to bowl.

“And they are now earning to bowl on a wicket that is giving them a little bit of assistance.

“That’s what you want. I think that is the perfect four-day pitch.”