WARWICKSHIRE bowler Ethan Bamber highlighted Corey Rocchiccioli’s contribution to the Bears squad after he collected another three wickets.
The Western Australia off-spinner took five wickets on debut against Somerset last week.
And he took three more against Sussex on the second day at Hove.
But it was a strong response from the south coast side as they reached 278 for three after the Bears had made 415.
Daniel Hughes made a season’s best 151 before departing to the last ball of the second day.
The 36-year-old Australian left-hander was lbw to Rocchiccioli off the penultimate delivery of the day.
Bamber told Warwickshire’s X account: “That last session was a fantastic template for us and showed the character we’ve got in the team.
“For Corey to basically bowl unchanged for two sessions was exceptional.
“He got a five-for on debut last week and is an exceptional person in the dressing room, and he bowled phenomenally again here, he’s a great asset for us to have.”
Hughes shared an opening partnership of 98 with Tom Haines and then added 142 with James Coles as the combination of a flat pitch, a Kookaburra ball doing little off the straight and the Hove heat made it a tough day for Warwickshire’s attack.
Rocchiccioli toiled away manfully, bowling unchanged for two sessions, apart from a solitary over, to pick up all three Sussex wickets for three for 94 from 35 overs.
Both Hughes’ and Coles’ scoring options were limited after tea when Warwickshire skipper Alex Davies employed as many as eight leg-side fielders as he rotated his seamers while Rocchiccioli wheeled away at the other end.
It looked like being a fruitless session for the Bears until Rocchiccioli, armed with the new ball, skidded a quicker delivery on to Hughes’ pads for a belated but deserved reward. Hughes’ 151 came off 260 deliveries with 26 fours.
Hughes had only previously passed 50 three times this season, although 60 against Durham last week hinted at a return to form.
Here, the majority of his boundaries came through his strong areas between extra cover and mid-off.
Warwickshire wicketkeeper Kai Smith was convinced Haines had edged a ball from Rocchiccioli in his fourth over but the umpire was unmoved and in his next over Haines lofted Rocchiccioli for six, necessitating a ball change.
It did the trick as Rocchiccioli got enough grip to knock back Haines’ off stump and end an opening stand of 98 in 22 overs.
Rocchiccioli had a second wicket in the 32nd over when the out-of-form Tom Clark, who had faced 28 balls for his five, was held low down at slip by Tom Latham.
Sussex scored 140 in the afternoon session with Hughes reaching his 10th first-class hundred by taking two boundaries in three balls off Bamber.
The runs dried up after tea, though, as Warwickshire went on the defensive and Rocchiccioli plugged away, trying to force a mistake. Coles was still there at the close, though, having passed 50 for the fifth time this season just before stumps.
Earlier, Warwickshire’s final three wickets added a further 43 runs in just under an hour.
Ollie Robinson struck in the second over of the day when he found Smith’s inside edge and Gurinder Sandhu also claimed his third wicket of the innings when he had Chris Rushworth caught behind.
Jack Carson trapped Bamber in front with a ball which kept a shade low to end the innings.
Additional reporting by ECB Reporters’ Network, supported by Rothesay
