Hopkinson leads recovery

Murray Goodwin congratulates Carl Hopkinson on his century

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Centuries from Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin pulled Sussex out of trouble after the defending champions made a dreadful start to their LV County Championship match against Hampshire.

Sussex plunged to 25 for four after winning the toss at Arundel before Hopkinson and Goodwin shared a fifth-wicket stand of 194 in 58 overs.

Hopkinson claimed his maiden first-class hundred before becoming a third victim for James Tomlinson, but the gritty Goodwin was still there at the close on 115 with Sussex having reached a healthy 316 for five.

Goodwin, who now boasts 36 centuries for Sussex, was given further solid support on a slow pitch by Robin Martin-Jenkins, who made 59 not out. The pair had put on an unbroken 97 for the sixth wicket by stumps.

Hopkinson's was the only wicket to fall in the final session, although both Goodwin and Martin-Jenkins were dropped in the last hour.

Twenty-six-year-old Hopkinson, who missed out on a century by three runs against Surrey at the end of April, reached the landmark in style by hoisting spinner Liam Dawson for a straight six just before tea.

Having got to his fifty from 104 deliveries, Hopkinson eased to his hundred off only a further 63 balls and made Hampshire pay after John Crawley put him down at gully off Tomlinson when he had made 32.

There were 14 fours and two sixes in Hopkinson's valuable innings, which came to an end in the fourth over after tea when he fell to a return catch by Tomlinson while attempting to pull.

Nic Pothas looks on as Hopkinson cuts behind square in his maiden hundred in first-class cricket

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Goodwin had to graft his way to his third century of the season, owing to the lack of pace in the pitch, but he got to three figures in style by on-driving Tomlinson for his 11th boundary, having faced 207 deliveries.

Sussex, playing without an overseas player for the first time in eight years due to Mushtaq Ahmed's absence through injury, made the worst possible start with left-armer Tomlinson grabbing two early wickets.

He removed skipper Chris Adams and Matt Prior for ducks to make it an uncomfortable start for the defending champions in their first match following a two-week break.

Michael Yardy was run out after Chris Nash drove David Balcombe firmly back down the pitch and the ball deflected off the bowler to break the stumps with Yardy out of his ground.

The out-of-form Adams went first ball, pinned in front pushing half-forward to a full-length delivery from Tomlinson, and Balcombe bowled Nash off his legs.

Matt Prior, who went into the game as Sussex's leading run-scorer in the championship with 679 runs at an average of 61.72, was unable to make an impression. He fell leg before to Tomlinson playing across a decent length delivery.