On a day when seamers struck gold across the rest of the country, down on the south coast the Sussex top order, led by Richard Montgomerie, collected runs with ease.

Montgomerie made 105 off 194 balls with 14 boundaries, and the rest of the top six all contributed well too, except for skipper Chris Adams, who fell to Stuart MacGill for nine.

Without MacGill, who took 3-96 in his first game since joining Nottinghamshire from the Aussies' Caribbean tour, the visitors would have found life even tougher.

The leg-spinner from New South Wales also removed Montgomerie and Tony Cottey (58) while the rest of the bowlers had a day to forget.

Tim Ambrose (36 not out) and Matt Prior (nine) will start again on Thursday after the rain hit Hove before the 87th over could be bowled.

Sussex: R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, P A Cottey, C J Adams (Capt), T R Ambrose, R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J Prior (Wkt), K J Innes, M J G Davis, Mushtaq Ahmed, B V Taylor.

Nottinghamshire: D J Bicknell, G E Welton, J E R Gallian (Capt), U Afzaal, K P Pietersen, B M Shafayat, C M W Read (Wkt), S Elworthy, G J Smith, S C G MacGill, A J Harris.