Batsmen continued to hold sway on the second day of the CricInfo Championship match at Hove as Nottinghamshire closed on 214-4 in reply to Sussex's 404.

But the day was not without incident with Mark Davis, Sussex's new off-spinner, the first player to fall foul of the new penalty punishments imposed this season.

Davis was twice warned for running on to the pitch and had the single he made when he committed his second indiscretion removed from his score. A third offence would have cost his side five penalty runs, but he was last out for 41 when the Sussex innings ended 40 minutes after lunch.

Earlier Robin Martin-Jenkins had made a patient 55, but Sussex rather lost their way after losing Bas Zuiderent in the second over without addition to his overnight 122. Left-armer Greg Smith took 5-64 as Sussex failed to secure maximum batting bonus points.

An easy-paced pitch is proving a boon for batsmen and all the Nottinghamshire top order got starts. But no one went on, with Martin-Jenkins removing Darren Bicknell in his first over for 14 and Usman Afzaal for 29, both courtesy of excellent slip catches.

James Kirtley claimed the prized scalp of Greg Blewett for 49 and Jason Lewry removed Guy Welton off his own bowling, but an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 66 between Paul Johnson (35 not out) and Kevin Pieterson, who is undefeated on 36, seems to have removed any worries Notts may have had of having to follow on after their fourth wicket fell with the total on 142.

The start of play had been delayed for 15 minutes while groundstaff used a blow torch to dry out a damp patch.

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