BILLY TAYLOR is not confident of playing against his former Sussex teammates - despite his career-best performance against Gloucestershire.

Taylor took 6 for 45 in Gloucestershire's second innings and his match figures of 9 for 83 proved the difference as Hampshire won their first championship match of the season by 48 runs.

But he is still not certain of playing what would be his first championship game against Sussex since returning to his home county after five years at Hove.

Southampton-born Taylor said: "I was glad to do the job that I was put out there to do against Gloucestershire but that game has been and gone.

"I'll be as nervous as anyone ahead of selection for the Sussex game, as I always am."

Taylor won a championship winner's medal with Sussex in 2003 - his last season at Hove - and returned last July to help Hampshire win a tense, floodlit Twenty20 tussle by three wickets.

And, despite his uncertainty, he is likely to be back on his old stamping ground tomorrow, after playing a key role in Hampshire's winning start to life back in the county championship's first division.

Taylor, who broke Gloucestershire's resistance with three wickets in as many overs, added: "We want to win every game and it was great to start that way. I was just pleased to get the opportunity to play.

"I was a bit nervous when I was standing at fine leg and the other guys were bowling but I always felt that if we got one wicket early enough the rest would come in bunches. I enjoyed it and knew that if I did the basics and bowled in the right areas, I would stand every chance."