JOE Weatherley made 87 on the first day’s cricket at The Ageas Bowl this year.

The Hampshire opener scored the vast majority of his side’s 127-6, which was made in 45 overs, before Sussex closed the first day on 206-4 in reply.

He lost Jimmy Adams, bowled by an inswinger from 17 year-old Will Sheffield in the 13th over, after a 41-run opening stand.

Sussex new-ball bowler Abi Sakande trapped Tom Alsop lbw and then had Lewis McManus caught at second slip, both in his second spell.

Then Chris Wood and Gareth Berg were lbw to leg-spinner Will Beer before former Hampshire star Danny Briggs trapped Calvin Dickinson lbw for a duck on his return to the Ageas Bowl.

Wood and Berg had Sussex 9-3 in reply, Luke Wells and Luke Wright added 122 for the fourth wicket.

Opener Phil Salt was brilliantly caught in the slips off Wood before two more Sussex batsmen departed without scoring

Sussex were 9-2 when Berg had Tom Haines caught at mid-on and there had been no addition to the score when Harry Finch was pinned lbw by the Hampshire all-rounder, also for a duck.

But after the early seam movement Luke Wells (90) and Luke Wright (73no) ensured the visitors had the best of the final session.

The pair took Sussex to 66-3 at tea before dominating the final session.

Wells has been in outstanding form during pre-season and dominated the partnership, to which Wright contributed 32.

Wright brought up the fifty partnership with a six but the son of former Sussex captain Alan Wells has now made four successive fifties in 2018.

He reached it by off-driving Berg for four before hitting three successive boundaries to go to 89*.

The left-hander scored a division one century against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl in 2011 but was ten short of a ton when he was eventually caught at mid-on off Matt Salisbury.

His was the only wicket to fall after tea as Ben Brown’s unbeaten 40 helped Wright add an unbroken for the fifth wicket

Sussex will resume their innings today before the sides play another two-day friendly at Hove from Good Friday.

All 13 of Hampshire’s squad, which includes England U19 all-rounder Tom Scriven, an academy product, and trialist Matt McKiernan, are involved in the friendly.

Hampshire’s first two pre-season friendlies against Kent were both postponed.

l Hampshire fast bowler Fidel Edwards will be in action against Essex today.

The former West Indies star is playing for the MCC in the annual match against the champion county at the Kensington Oval in his native Barbados.

Kent batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond will captain the MCC in the day-night pink ball game, with former England all-rounder Paul Collingwood also in the squad