Sean Hunt, Michael Booth and Chris Woakes led a collective display of top-drawer seam-bowling as title-chasers Warwickshire and Sussex delivered a gripping second day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Edgbaston.

In the morning, Sussex collapsed to 156 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 44 runs against an attack led by Woakes (four for 36) and Booth (three for nine). Warwickshire’s batters then fared little better for 161 all out, only tail-end resistance featuring Booth (34 not out, 45 balls) repairing damage caused by Hunt (four for 30) and Henry Crocombe (three for 60).

Trailing by five runs on first innings, Sussex closed on 84 for three (Tom Haines 32 not out, 64) in their second to leave the match perfectly poised. The Rothesay County Championship is widely regarded as the best red-ball competition in the world and the Edgbaston crowd was treated to a day which underlined that reputation: high skills, high drama and constant twists.

Sussex resumed on the second morning on 99 for three and 45 minutes later had lost five wickets for three runs in 17 balls. Woakes was almost unplayable. He trapped James Coles lbw and had Charlie Tear (who dug in for three in 44 minutes) and Fynn Hudson-Prentice caught in the slips. Sussex found no respite at the other end as Ethan Bamber removed John Simpson, caught at first slip, and knocked out Jack Carson’s off-stump.

Crocombe edged Olly Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Alex Davies. Number eleven Jaydev Unadkat heaved Hannon-Dalby for two sixes but was denied the chance to land further blows when Hunt edged Booth behind.

In reply, Warwickshire soon lost Zen Malik, lbw to Hudson-Prentice, then advanced to 65 for one before Sussex hit back spectacularly with six wickets in 11 overs. Crocombe took the first two – Dan Mousley (29, 46), who top-edged a pull, and Will Young, caught at second slip. Hunt blasted out the next four, following the big wickets of Rob Yates (25, 57) and Ed Barnard, both caught by wicketkeeper Simpson, by removing Alex Davies and Woakes with successive balls.

Vansh Jani’s obdurate 14 in 76 minutes was ended by a fine catch at third slip by Tom Haines off Unadkat. That left the Bears 102 for eight but against an attack deprived of the injured Hudson-Prentice, who has been replaced in the match by Danial Ibrahim, Warwickshire’s tail wagged. Booth and Bamber (24, 32) added 37 and, after Bamber lifted Crocombe to long-leg, Booth and Hannon-Dalby eked out 22 to take their side in front.

In 23 overs before the close, Sussex lost Daniel Hughes, lbw to Bamber, to the first ball. Haines and Tom Clark (22, 41) added 49 but the irrepressible Booth was not finished. Clark nicked behind and Charlie Tear pulled to mid-wicket, the last twists of a tremendous day’s cricket.