Laxman has played Test cricket for 10 years and has 10 centuries

County champions Sussex struggled to 146-5, 242 behind India after two days of the tour match at Hove.

VVS Laxman moved within five of a century, firing 12 fours in a 178-ball knock before Saqlain Mushtaq found some sharp turn and he edged to slip.

Former Paksitan spinner Saqlain, 30, on his first-class debut for Sussex took 3-71 before India declared on 388-7.

Michael Yardy made a watchful 53 for Sussex but veteran spinner Anil Kumble took 2-28 to put his side in command.

India resumed on 281-3 but skipper Rahul Dravid decided not to resume his innings and spent the day resting a slight calf strain.

Laxman made his highest score in England, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 76 in 30 overs with Yuvraj Singh who made 31.

Yuvraj fell to the fourth ball after lunch when he was stumped attempting to drive spinner Ollie Rayner, who then struck again when Mahendra Dhoni was trapped in front trying to work the ball to leg.

Laxman thumped Rayner through the covers to move into the 90s but when Saqlain found extra bounce as well as turn to take the shoulder of the bat, the fourth wicket to fall inside 12 overs, Dravid decided to declare.

Having switched to the Sea End, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth had Richard Montgomerie caught at third slip as Sussex made a hesitant start to their reply.

Chris Nash, who hit a series of towering sixes in the Twenty20, was becalmed early in his 28 from 72 balls but hit three successive fours before he also fell to a slip catch.

Carl Hopkinson was yorked by RP Singh and 19-year-old Michael Thornely was bowled through the gate by Kumble.

Yardy reached his first half century since the opening game of the season with a fine square drive off Kumble, before the wily slow bowler ousted him with a deceptive googly.