91Èȱ¬

Yorkshire have a 58-run lead with nine wickets in hand as visitors Sussex battle to avoid relegation.

Having resumed on 241-7, Yorkshire lost three wickets for 10 runs as Steve Magoffin (4-57) swept through the tail.

Sussex initially struggled in their reply as they slumped to 70-5, but Michael Yardy (70) and Ben Brown (39) helped them reach 248 all out.

Alex Lees fell for a duck, before Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance (39 not out) guided Yorkshire to 55-1 at stumps.

Sussex must now manage at least a draw to guarantee their survival in Division One.

The visitors started brightly, bringing Yorkshire's first innings to an early conclusion, but they were reduced to 3-2 in response as Ryan Sidebottom and Jack Brooks (3-55) both struck early on.

Brooks picked up his second dismissal shortly after, while Tim Bresnan and Liam Plunkett also took a wicket each to leave Sussex on 79-5 at lunch.

Yardy and Brown were the only batsmen to pass 30, as their team fell two runs short of a second batting bonus point.

Chris Jordan made an early breakthrough as the hosts began their second innings, but Ballance and Lyth's efforts put the champions in a solid position as they aim for an 11th win of the season.

Sussex all-rounder Michael Yardy told 91Èȱ¬ Sussex:

"We bowled really well tonight to restrict them to two an over and not let them get away from us.

"Ideally we'd have had a couple more wickets, but it's going to be a very tight, tense game.

"We're playing a very good team, they've been County Champions the last two years, and it would be a big feat to beat them anyway, even in the situation we're in."