Tom Price said Sussex are confident of serving up something special on a decisive day at Hove.
The county hope for a big attendance at the County Ground for what is building up into a thriller with Hampshire in the Rothesay County Championship.
After 13 wickets on day one, the second saw 16 more fall as Sussex were bowled out for 159 with Kyle Abbott taking six in an innings for the second time this season.
Hampshire were 66 for six in reply but recovered to 205 for nine as clouds cleared and the sun shone.
They lead by 238 with one wicket to fall.
Free admission is available to those who register online via the club’s website.
Sussex, who will have to chase a victory target comfortably in excess of 200, decided to offer free admission and an offer on their carvery lunch to celebrate Father’s Day.
At one stage on day two it looked like the match might not go into Sunday.
Instead, the stage is perfectly set.
Price, who took 3-27, said: “A crazy day. They bowled really well this morning and in the first half of the day there were great conditions to bowl, but once the sun came out it proved to be a pretty good batting wicket.
“It was seaming around this morning, there was swing and movement off the deck as well, but we also knew when we bowled again that we could make the most of the conditions as well.
“Then the sun came out and the ball got softer and easier to bat. Even when they were 26 for 5 we knew they could put a partnership together because they bat all the way down so credit to Jack Carson, who did a superb job after tea by tying things up and getting a couple of important wickets.
“We’re optimistic. Days two and three are generally the best days to bat at Hove."
Having bowled Hampshire out for 191 on Friday, Sussex started day two only 70 runs behind but, within 75 minutes, had been bowled out for 159, losing their remaining seven wickets for just 31 runs in 11.1 overs to concede a first-innings deficit of 32.
Hampshire found conditions just as testing when they went in again. It took them 25 balls to get their first run and both openers departed at the end of a fast-forward session which saw nine wickets and just 47 runs scored.
They were soon 26 for 5 as Price produced a skilful burst which brought him three wickets including Jake Lehmann, who lost his middle and off stumps to one which nipped back through his defences.
Former Sussex captain Ben Brown bagged a pair to give Jaydev Unadkat his second wicket during a miserly spell of 10-5-16-2.
Ali Orr began the fightback against his former county with a gutsy 34 including a pulled six into the pavilion in Dom Goodman’s first over, but two balls later Orr nicked to wicketkeeper John Simpson off an inside edge to leave Hampshire 66 for 6.
But then the sun finally burst through and suddenly batting looked a much less hazardous occupation.
Delano Potgieter and Felix Organ put on 94 in 31 overs either side of tea and although Sussex skipper Tom Haines wasn’t afraid to change things up for the first time in the match, bat was dominating the ball.
Off-spinner Carson made the breakthrough. Potgeiter batted for nearly three hours and his half-century might still prove crucial, but he was furious with himself when he picked out mid-wicket trying to drive through square.
Organ (48) was brilliantly caught by Jack Leaning diving to his left at second slip, but Jack and Abbott combined to frustrate Sussex again with an unbroken last-wicket stand of 33 to help set up an intriguing finale.
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