COACH Peter Moores praised his opening batsman after they had steered Sussex to within two victories of the CGU National League title last night.

Australian Michael Di Venuto, who leaves Sussex on Saturday after a successful season with the county, and Richard Montgomerie put on 155 for the first wicket to set up a crushing nine-wicket win over Surrey under the Oval floodlights.

It was only seven short of the county record for the competition set against the same opposition by David Smith and Franklyn Stephenson at Hove six years ago.

Somerset's surprise 14-run defeat by Glamorgan means Sussex have gone back to the top of the table and they will be crowned champions if they win their two remaining games .

Moores said: "Surrey have just won the Championship and that takes away a fear of failure, they went out there with a bit of a cavalier attitude and if we hadn't stuck to our task we would have been chasing 250-odd.

"As it was Monty and Diva put together a tremendous opening stand. There was no need for them to smash it about, they just knocked it around and kept the pressure on their bowlers and fielders all the time."

Earlier Sussex had taken the last seven Surrey wickets for 42 runs to bowl out their hosts for 217 with James Kirtley, overlooked by the England A team selectors earlier in the day, returning season's best figures of 4-48.

Added Moores: "We've been doing that all season. Every time there has been a chink of light we've opened the door and piled through. This is the biggest week of the season for us, what with two one-dayers and a very important Championship match, and we've made the perfect start."

Sussex are expected to name an unchanged side for the match against fifth-placed Nottinghamshire.

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