Sussex run machine Murray Goodwin again produced the goods to frustrate second-placed Nottinghamshire on day one of the Championship match at Hove.

Goodwin struck an assured 79 from 164 balls as the defending champions reached 292-5, on the day star bowler Mushtaq Ahmed announced his retirement.

Zimbabwe-born Goodwin, 35, passed 1,000 runs for the season for the seventh time in eight seasons when reaching 40.

He shared in a valuable fifth-wicket stand of 96 with Carl Hopkinson.

Hopkinson was still there unbeaten on 53 at stumps.

Goodwin was closing in on his fifth century of the season when he was trapped lbw by Darren Pattinson, who was bowling the first delivery with the new ball.

There were six boundaries in Goodwin's three-and-a-half-hour vigil and the wicket of Hopkinson was Nottinghamshire's only success in the final session.

The visitors had to work hard for their wickets after Sussex chose to bat, and veteran all-rounder Mark Ealham took the first three wickets on his 39th birthday before Goodwin and Hopkinson gave the hosts the advantage.

Mike Yardy (64) earlier passed 50 for only the fifth time this season to get his side off to a steady start in dull, cloudy conditions.

Yardy, dropped at the wicket on 16 off Pattinson, shared in an opening stand of 82 in 24 overs with Chris Nash, who fell leg-before just before lunch for 28 stretching forward to first-change paceman Ealham.

Ealham struck again in the third over after the interval with Andrew Hodd (5) falling to a diving catch by wicketkeeper Chris Read.

Goodwin survived a confident lbw appeal from Pattinson on 11 before Yardy's 119-ball vigil was ended by Ealham, who had him caught at the wicket.

Sussex did lose an unnecessary wicket in the afternoon when skipper Chris Adams was beaten by a good throw to the striker's end by Pattinson and was run out for 23, but it was a rare blemish on a good day for the hosts.