Hampshire closed in on their first win since promotion to Division One of the LV County Championship after Adam Wheater’s hundred and four wickets for Fidel Edwards helped put them in charge against Sussex at Hove.

Wheater’s 111 was his second century for the county and although Gareth Berg was run out for 99 their stand of 165 in 24 overs helped Hampshire establish a first innings lead of 141.

Edwards then removed Sussex’s top three with the new ball and came back towards the close to pick up Chris Nash for 50 as the hosts closed on 142 for 5, a lead of just one run.

It was a tough day for an understrength Sussex, although when they had Hampshire 197 for 7, having just removed James Vince for 76, they probably entertained hopes of a first innings lead themselves.

Instead, with only Steve Magoffin bowling with the necessary control, their attack was shredded by Wheater and Berg, whose partnership set a new Hampshire eighth wicket record against Sussex.

Between them they struck 136 runs in boundaries with Berg hitting four sixes as the Sussex attack leaked runs at nearly seven an over.

Wheater reached a chanceless hundred just after lunch from just 82 balls and was clearly frustrated with himself when he top-edged a sweep at part-time off-spinner Luke Wells, having hit 17 fours and faced 99 balls in what was only the third Championship century at Hove this season.

Wells soon picked up the wicket of Edwards, leaving Berg on 84 when he was joined by last man Jackson Bird. Berg moved into the 90s with successive straight sixes off left-arm spinner Mike Yardy only to be run out by Matt Hobden’s direct hit running in from the fine leg boundary when the came back for a second run. His 99 off 98 balls included 12 boundaries.

Hampshire tails were up, though, and Edwards reinforced their superiority by taking 3 for 16 in seven overs with the new ball.

The West Indian discomfited all the Sussex batsmen with searing pace and occasionally steepling bounce down the slope. Luke Wells was out for a duck, squared up and edging to third slip, Matt Machan (1) under-edged a pull into his stumps and Mike Yardy (15) was leg before to a full-length ball when Edwards went over the wicket to the left-hander.

At 23 for 3 Sussex were in danger of a two-day defeat but skipper Ed Joyce and Nash rebuilt the innings with a stand of 61 in 20 overs. But confirmation that it was Hampshire’s day came when Berg, who had taken four wickets in the first innings, slanted a ball across Joyce which he could have left but instead edged to second slip for 36.

Nash progressed to 50, from 93 balls with seven fours, but immediately after reaching his first half-century of the season he was trapped in front by Edwards, who finished the day with figures of 4 for 21 from 11 overs, an analysis he will fancy his chances of improving on the third day.