HOVE (England), July 8: India batsmen Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik and skipper Rahul Dravid all made fifties against Sussex on the first day of the opening match of the England tour at Hove here on Saturday.

Gambhir led the way with 81, Karthik made 76 and Dravid was 57 not out as India ended the first day of four against the English county champions well-placed on 281 for three.

Dravid had added an unbroken 75 for the fourth wicket with V.V.S. Laxman (37 not out), at the close.

Sussex were without several rested senior players in captain Chris Adams, Zimbabwe batsman Murray Goodwin and Pakistan bowlers Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

Karthik and Gambhir put on 129 for the second wicket following the early loss of Wasim Jaffer.

Karthik then had the distinction of becoming Saqlain Mushtaq's maiden first-class wicket for Sussex.

The former Pakistan off-spinner, whose British passport arrived earlier in the week, bowled Karthik to end a 177-ball innings.

Gambhir's patient display ended when he was caught and bowled by Sussex stand-in skipper Michael Yardy.—AFP