Sussex have a Dutch master of their own to admire tonight after Bas Zuiderent made a maiden first-class hundred to give his side the upper hand against Nottinghamshire after the first day of the Cricinfo Championship match at Hove.

The 24-year-old, who only made his first one-day century for the county on Monday, maintained his excellent form by scoring an undefeated 122 to help his side reach 310-5 before bad light forced the players off with two overs of the day remaining. His score is the highest in first-class cricket by a Dutchman.

Zuiderent has got his chance because of injuries to skipper Chris Adams and Tony Cottey and grabbed his opportunity with both hands as he repaired the early damage done by Notts' burly South African seamer Greg Smith.

Smith removed both openers Richard Montgomerie and Murray Goodwin with just 15 on the board before Zuiderent and left-hander Michael Yardy, in his first Championship appearance of the season, led a recovery with a stand of 92 which ended on the stroke of lunch when Yardy edged Smith to second slip after making 36.

In the afternoon Zuiderent and Will House continued the rebuilding job with House making 46 before he edged Usman Afzaal's occasional left-arm spin to the wicket-keeper.

A 14th boundary clipped off his legs took Zuiderent to three figures off 233 balls in a shade over five hours and, despite the murky light, he was still going strong at the end.

With him was Robin Martin-Jenkins who had made 38 off 50 deliveries in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 68. Smith was the pick of the Notts' attack, maintaining a consistent line and length all day to finish with 3-39 off 21 overs.

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