Steve Magoffin produced a sensational bowling performance to put Sussex in total control after the first day of their Championship clash with Somerset at Horsham.

The Australian seamer claimed career-best figures of 8-20 – the fourth best at Cricketfield Road and the best since 1948 – as the visitors were skittled for just 76.

Sussex then hammered home their dominance by reaching 298-9 at the close, a lead of 222, with Rory Hamilton-Brown top scoring with 77.

It was a day to forget for Somerset skipper Marcus Trescothick who surprising elected to bat after winning the toss.

Magoffin soon had him regretting that decision as he ripped through the Somerset batting with a brilliant display of seam bowling.

Arul Suppiah was the first to go as his middle stump was knocked out of the ground before Magoffin pinned Alviro Peterson in his crease for just 12 to leave Somerset on 28-2.

Somerset then lost five wickets in the space of 13 balls to slump to 43-7 with Magoffin accounting for four of them in eight deliveries.

He had James Hildreth caught low down at first slip by Chris Jordan, Trescothick edged behind having made 20 while Peter Trego and Alfonso Thomas departed in successive balls.

Jordan claimed the other wicket of Alex Barrow but otherwise it was all Magoffin as he added the scalps of Jack Leach and Jos Buttler – who top scored with 22 – in a truly terrific spell.

Jordan finished off the innings by removing last man Steve Kirby as Somerset were bowled out before lunch and deny Magoffin the chance to beat the record figures at Horsham of 9-45 set by Vincent Broderick back in 1948.

Sussex began their reply confidently as they reached lunch on 13-0 and then pushed on to 83 before Luke Wells became the first of three quick wickets to fall.

Wells edged a ball from Kirby to Buttler behind the stumps having made 30 and fellow opener Chris Nash followed soon after when he got an inside edge off a delivery from Thomas onto his stumps for 46.

Joe Gatting, promoted to No.4 in the absence of Ed Joyce, continued his disappointing form with the bat as he edged Thomas to slip for just four to leave Sussex on 91-3.

Mike Yardy looked to be carrying on from his superb display at Derbyshire last week as he bashed Kirby for three consecutive fours before he was bowled by a ball which kept low from Trego having made 19.

Hamilton-Brown and Matt Machan put Sussex completely in command with a partnership of 85 for the fifth wicket – comfortably the highest of the match so far.

It took a fine piece of fielding from Jack Leach to remove Machan as his direct hit ran the Scotland international out for 26.

Hamilton-Brown played his best innings since returning to Sussex during the winter as he lofted Leach for two sixes and also smashed 11 fours.

His 90-ball innings came to an end when he edged a ball from Thomas to first slip having helped take Sussex’s lead past the 150 mark.

Ben Brown (18) and Chris Jordan (0) fell soon after but Magoffin completed a fine day all round to finish unbeaten on 21 in a stand of 27 for the last wicket with Monty Panesar (17no).