Roland-Jones stars for Middlesex

Toby Roland-Jones claimed the best figures of his career as Middlesex fought back on the second day of their Division One match against Sussex.

The 24-year-old seamer took the last two wickets with successive balls to finish with six for 66, only the third five-wicket haul by a Middlesex bowler this summer, as Sussex were all out for 287.

It restricted Sussex's lead to 117 and by stumps Middlesex had reached 92 for two in their second innings, still 35 runs behind.

The tall Roland-Jones had been the only Middlesex bowler with the height and pace to exploit a pitch again offering good pace and occasionally steep bounce.

He claimed his second wicket of the innings before lunch when Sussex captain Ed Joyce went for 68.

Having earlier been hit in the ribs by a ball from Roland-Jones which needed treatment, the Sussex captain failed to avoid another lifter and gloved a gentle catch to wicketkeeper John Simpson.

Joyce had added 78 in 34 overs with Michael Yardy, who defied Middlesex for four-and-a-half hours on his way to 89, his third half-century of the season.

He lost Luke Wright, caught at second slip pushing forward to Tim Murtagh, but successive boundaries off Gareth Berg took him to his fifty and Sussex into the lead during a stand of 40 with Ben Brown for the sixth wicket.

But Roland-Jones made an immediate impact after taking the second new ball. With his fifth delivery he had Brown caught behind before claiming the key wicket of Yardy, who failed to control a pull and was caught at long leg, having faced 188 balls and hit 10 fours.

Steve Magoffin, who was dropped by Dawid Malan off Gareth Berg on 22, made 35 and James Anyon 29 as Sussex's eighth-wicket pair put on 43 to extend the lead past 100 but Roland-Jones came back after tea to bowl Anyon before Monty Panesar was leg before to his first ball.

Magoffin had under-edged to the keeper to give the persevering Corey Collymore his solitary success.

Openers Chris Rogers and Sam Robson began Middlesex's second innings confidently with a stand of 72 in 18 overs but in his third over, left-arm spinner Monty Panesar made the breakthrough when Rogers was caught behind trying to cut for 48.

Joe Denly, who has only past 30 once in his last nine championship innings, played on when Steve Magoffin switched ends while night-watchman Roland-Jones was dropped at short leg in the penultimate over as Sussex tried to press home their advantage.