Sussex 439 & 294-6 Lancashire 342: Goodwin and Montgomerie put Sussex in command

Centuries by Murray Goodwin and Richard Montgomerie helped Sussex into a commanding position over their Championship rivals Lancashire yesterday. All they have to do now is time their declaration perfectly to leave a tempting target and enough overs to get it, then bowl out the visitors.

A victory is vital to Sussex, who have played one game more than Lancashire, and Goodwin and Montgomerie dragged them out of potential trouble at 45 for 2 with a third-wicket stand of 166. Goodwin was first to a hundred, reaching three figures for the 45th time with his 15th boundary. Montgomerie's was only his second Championship century in three years and confirmed his recent return to form.

Both men were out soon afterwards, but with the Sussex lead drawing near to 400 and plenty of aggressive batting to follow, things have tipped in their favour. They will also have Mushtaq Ahmed back in their attack as they try to bowl out Lancashire. The Pakistani leg-spinner was kept on ice while the rest of his team-mates - chiefly the admirable Jason Lewry - wrapped up the first innings.

Mushtaq, who was being given ice pack treatment on a groin injury picked up on Thursday and was also nursing a nagging neck injury, was all for bowling yesterday but was persuaded to save himself for some final-day heroics.

His colleagues managed extremely well without him. The last half-dozen Lancashire wickets fell for the addition of just 65 runs, giving Sussex a 97-run advantage on the first innings.

The slide began with the early departure of Gareth Cross, who has kept wicket to Shane Warne when he was playing for the Australian leg-spinner's Melbourne club, St Kilda, a couple of years ago.

Stuart Law fell a couple of overs later when his well-timed flick off a Lewry delivery was smartly taken by Goodwin at deep backward square leg. Lewry's left-arm swing proved unplayable and he finished with 6 for 68, the 31st haul of five wickets or more in his career and his second of the summer.