Play on the second day of Somerset's home championship match against Sussex at the County Ground was limited to just 39 overs, at the end of which in reply to the hosts 557 for eight declared the visitors were still 538 behind with nine second innings wickets remaining.

Play eventually got underway at 2.30pm, when Somerset resumed on their overnight total of 399 for three, with James Hildreth not out 127 and Zander de Bruyn 37

The Kolpak player brought up the 400 in the first over to earn Somerset their fifth batting bonus point and shortly afterwards his own half century.

De Bruyn was eventually out for 62 bowled by Luke Wright, after adding 131 for the fourth wicket with Hildreth.

The England Lions batsman took his own total onto 157 before he was caught by Michael Yardy at mid wicket. In his innings Hildreth faced 199 balls, hit 14 fours and four sixes and passed the 4000 first class runs mark in his career.

Peter Trego (41)  and Craig Kieswetter (29) added some late runs before Justin Langer declared leaving Sussex to face  the last 24 overs of the day.

Charl Willough by immediately made the breakthrough for the hosts when he had Chris Nash caught off the fourth ball of the innings by Langer.

Michael Yardy hit 17 runs to take the total onto 19 for one but after four overs at 5.35pm the players left the field for bad light after soon after which play was abandoned for the day.

After the close De Bruyn said: "We wanted to have a crack at them tonight but unfortunately the weather is not playing along but that is one of those things."
 
"They are good bowling conditions so we are looking forward to getting a few wickets. It helps to have a few more bowlers. I think it is a good move to have an extra seamer because we have a better chance to take 20 wickets."
 
Regarding his own form he said: "It has been disappointing. I got 98 in the first game and should have kicked on and this game I thought I was playing very nicely. But it is still a long season and I would like to hope there are still a lot of centuries to come."
 
"There is always people scoring around you. I like to play the role where I anchor the innings and others can play around me so it is working out nicely."
 
He added: "They have won the last two years but we have got a big day ahead of us to see how it pans out. We need to show them a thing or two with theball and show them we are contenders for the Championship."