Trott pockets unfortunate Joyce

Jonathan Trott takes evasive action from Ed Joyce's sweep only for the ball to slip perfectly into his pocket at Edgbaston

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Ed Joyce’s golden week turned sour when he became the victim of a freak dismissal as Sussex held off buoyant Warwickshire in the LV= County Championship Division One clash at Edgbaston.

Four days after leading his new county to the Friends Provident Trophy final with a century against Gloucestershire, the former Middlesex batsman was bizarrely caught when he swept the left arm spinner, Ant Botha.

Jonathan Trott took evasive action at short leg but as he turned away the ball somehow fizzed into his right-hand trouser pocket. Law 32 says a fielder has fairly completed a catch “if the ball accidentally lodges in his clothing”.

With Joyce departing for 29 - the first of three wickets to fall in the afternoon session - Sussex were forced to dig in after more problems on a ground where they have lost five of the last six championship meetings.

Facing a total of 407, they eventually secured a more comfortable position when closing at 276 for four – still 131 behind - after an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 125 by Carl Hopkinson and Luke Wright.

Having made a century in a 12-a-side match with the Australians last month, Hopkinson justified his inclusion with 64 not out in his first championship innings of the season and Wright played equally well for his unbeaten 59.

Any hopes of Sussex had of registering their first championship win at Edgbaston since 1982 seemed to have disappeared on the third morning when Chris Woakes reached an unbeaten 49 as Warwickshire’s last pair added 65.

Naqaash Tahir (22) helped his side to maximum batting points for the fifth time in six games before giving a return catch to Ollie Rayner.

The injury-troubled Tahir then put Sussex under some pressure by taking three top-order wickets in his best championship performance for two years.

Chris Nash batted so freely for his 31 from 43 balls it came as a surprise when he smashed a loose delivery to Botha at point.

Tahir struck in successive overs when he returned in the afternoon. Murray Goodwin’s leading edge found Woakes at mid-on and Michael Yardy was easily caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose after striking nine fours in his 57.

Goodwin made 22, his highest championship score in a summer in which he has scored only 121 runs from 11 innings.