The two Toms shape up well as Sussex get reacquainted with the red ball at Edgbaston

Just 30.3 overs were possible as two of the title contenders square off in Brum and, having been put in and with overcast skies hovering over Birmingham for most of the day, Sussex will probably have been pretty satisfied to reach stumps on 99 for 3, although they would have felt even better had the rain returned when they were 95 for 1.

Sunshine is forecast for the next three days so there is still every possibility that this match will end in a positive result but this almost felt like the first day back at school for many of the Sussex players, a few of whom have played very little cricket since the Championship went into mothballs in mid-June. Whether that has left them a little rusty or fit and firing for the run-in remains to be seen.