Nottinghamshire academy graduate Liam Patterson-White claimed three wickets and was involved in two more as the Green and Golds tussled with Sussex on an ebb-and-flow first day of the 2022 season at Hove.
After openers Alistair Orr and Tom Haines had guided the hosts to 101 without loss at lunch, the latter striking a swift fifty, spinner Patterson-White led an afternoon rally to remove both and check the Martlets’ progress.
Brett Hutton also struck in the afternoon, after Orr had also made a half-century to leave Sussex 189 for four at tea, before Patterson-White produced an impressive run-out for the fifth wicket.
Despite that, Sussex once again found themselves in the ascendancy late on, and a sixth-wicket stand of 87 between Tom Clark and Delray Rawlins, with the former becoming the third man to hit fifty, saw them pass 300.
Captain Steven Mullaney did, though, hand his side a boost at the very end, as he broke that stand in the penultimate over, and although Clark remained unbeaten on 82*, the hosts ended the day on 302 for six.
Earlier, a bright and blustery morning had greeted Peter Moores’ men on the south coast as they began their 2022 campaign, and after Mullaney called correctly and elected to bowl, they set about their task.
However, Orr and Haines stood firm throughout the opening session, with the former taking on a watchful role in comparison to his captain’s full-blooded approach, and Sussex reached 49 without loss after the first hour.
They doubled that total and passed three figures on the stroke of lunch, as Haines brought up his half-century in 57 deliveries – at which point Orr was still on only 23*.
Haines’ belligerence proved his downfall after the first break, as Patterson-White found some sharp turn to beat another aggressive stroke and take out his middle stump for 59.
Debutant Tom Alsop then followed in Patterson-White’s next over as he was pinned lbw for just one, before Hutton saw Oli Carter well held by the spinner at short midwicket not long afterwards.
Orr had remained unbeaten throughout Sussex’s afternoon stutter, but was also sent on his way by Patterson-White before tea as Mullaney clung on to a sharp chance at slip to remove him for 68.
Danial Ibrahim and Clark then added 43 for the fifth wicket either side of the second break, but that stand was broken as the 17-year-old Ibrahim was run out at the striker’s end for 15.
Clark hit Patterson-White to Hutton in the deep and added two, before a third was attempted as the throw came back in, and upon receiving it at the bowler’s end, the spinner made no mistake to leave Ibrahim short.
His replacement was Rawlins, and after an initially watchful few overs from him and Clark as the day entered its final hour, the duo began to click and brought up their half-century stand in 67 deliveries.
As the shadows lengthened, they passed 300, but Mullaney would ensure the Green and Golds had the last laugh as he induced Rawlins into playing onto his stumps for 49 with just one over left.
Fittingly, it was Patterson-White who brought proceedings formally to a close with a final set of six from the Sea End, and the two sides will resume a fascinating battle tomorrow morning.
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