Nottinghamshire's title defence dealt blow as Sussex win by seven wickets at Hove

Nottinghamshire's title chances dented by loss to Sussex

Nottinghamshire's hopes of a successful title defence were damaged by a seven-wicket loss to Sussex at Hove on day four of their Rothesay County Championship Division One clash.

Cricket action at County Ground Hove during Nottinghamshire vs Sussex County Championship match

The champions were dismissed for 193 in their second innings and Sussex knocked off a victory target of 76 in 18 overs. Nottinghamshire now need to win their final game of the season at home to Yorkshire and hope that leaders Warwickshire slip up at home to Leicestershire.

Meanwhile, Sussex are targeting a top-three finish after Somerset's defeat at Headingley. Sussex's sixth win of the season is the same number as Warwickshire and Somerset. They finish their campaign at bottom-of-the-table Hampshire and will fancy their chances of improving on last season's fourth-place finish, which would be a remarkable effort given that they started the season with a 12-point deduction.

Karvelas stars with the ball

Ari Karvelas led his team-mates off after finishing with 5-42, taking his fifth wicket in his second over of the day when Ben Hutton edged a beauty which nipped away off the seam to second slip.

Mitch Hay and Tom Giles briefly held up Sussex with a ninth-wicket stand of 26 and it was off-spinner Jack Carson who finished things off by taking the last two wickets. With his second ball, he hit Hay on the back leg and Carson wrapped up the innings when he beat Tom Giles' defensive push for his second leg-before verdict.

Sussex chase sealed after early setbacks

Nottinghamshire's new-ball pair Olly Stone and Hutton both picked up a wicket at the start of the chase. Haines was bowled offering no shot when Stone followed three outswingers with a ball that moved in to hit his off stump and Tom Clark was lbw to Hutton trying to flick down the leg side.

Charlie Tear and George Thomas settled any Sussex nerves with a stand of 35 before Tear lost his off stump to Mukesh Kumar's first ball, which kept a little low.

But Thomas drove Liam Patterson-White's left-arm spin for a straight six to get the target down to single figures and Carter cut Patterson-White to the boundary in the next over to secure the victory 20 minutes after lunch.

ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.