Specsavers CC Sussex v Leics, Hove May 1-4

All praise to Nash, above anyone else for saving this match. Since giving up the vice-captaincy and working on his batting during the winter he has run into a fine vein of form allied to a considerable toughness, whilst still showing plenty of the handsome shots and flair for opportunity of old. Last year's experiment of batting him at 4 or 5 should now be completely disregarded, and for as long as Joyce remains with Sussex they are the natural opening pair.

That just leaves the question of the middle order and while the return of Wright is impatiently awaited there are still some questions about who should join him there. Certainly this match has shown without doubt that there must be 6 batsmen higher than Ben Brown and he clearly needs time to breathe and to find his batting of the last couple of years. Machan's dash seems unabated, but if it doesn't come off immediately he is always giving a chance to the opposition to add a further quick wicket within minutes of breaking the first wicket partnership. Taylor's figures make very odd reading for a man with 13 Test hundreds and a first-class average in the middle 40s. In the 18 months since November 2014 he has now played 18 first class matches, 12 of them Tests, and scored 1088 runs at 38.86. That does include his huge innings of 290 against Australia last autumn, but in all that time he has only scored 1 further 100 and 3 50s, including today's innings. There are quite a few 20s and 30s in that sequence, and some single figure scores as well. I hope that we haven't signed a player on the downside of his career.

Otherwise, and assuming Wells keeps his place now as an all-rounder, there must be a slot for Finch or Hudson-Prentice - and Finch has the prior claim - to show what they can do to add solidity, and once Wright is back there should be a competition for top 6 batting places. As for the bowling it looks as if Wells has shot ahead of Briggs and also done as much as anyone could expect Beer to do. Garton, Magoffin and Shahzad all had their moments yesterday and Robinson will come again. It isn't a sharp-toothed attack but with a few runs to bowl at it ought to deliver as often as not. Not a promotion chasing side, but maybe one that realises the urgent need to rebuild and remake itself – on and off the field.