England fast bowler Simon Jones began his comeback at Hove today as the new county season got underway.

Jones was in the Glamorgan side playing Sussex in the first of two one-day friendlies at Hove.

The injury-plagued 28-year-old was one of the stars of England's Ashes triumph in 2005, but has not played for 11 months and had knee surgery last summer.

Sussex won the toss and decided to bat in today's 50 overs contest and Jones was brought on in the ninth over, bowling down the Hove slope.

Not surprisingly he looked a little tentative and was not bowling at anything like full pace. But the Sussex batsmen still had to play him with respect even on a slow early-season pitch.

Sussex opened with Carl Hopkinson and Chris Nash and they put on 46 for the first wicket before Nash (23) was caught at backward point off the lively Huw Waters.

With the boundary on the pavilion side only 50 yards from the wicket, Sussex's scoring rate was pretty brisk and after 16 overs they had reached 68-1 with Hopkinson on 25 and Mike Yardy 7.

Both sides have named 12 players but only 11 can bat and field.

Sussex left out Jason Lewry, who is recovering from illness, but new signing Saqlain Mushtaq said he hoped to play some part in the match.

Sussex 12: Hopkinson, Nash, Yardy, Adams (capt), Prior, Montgomerie, Wright, Rayner, Hodd, Kirtley, Liddle, Thornely.