Sussex's shellshocked batsmen headed straight for the nets after their worst performance at Hove for nearly two years ruined the county's first home game since they became champions.

The Hove crowd watched in stunned silence as their side lost nine wickets in 90 minutes either side of lunch to be bowled out for 163, their lowest Championship total at headquarters since July 2002.

Lancashire knocked off their target of 24 runs in 8.5 overs to complete a ten-wicket win and reinforce the widely-held view that they will be the side to beat this season.

Skipper Chris Adams laughed off suggestions that net practice was a punishment for their poor performance. It was, he said, an opportunity to rebuild confidence ahead of another tough-looking assignment against promoted Worcestershire at New Road next week.

It was not the capitulation on the third day, when Sussex lost 4-6 in ten balls before lunch and their last four wickets for nine runs after the interval, which annoyed Adams, but their dismal first innings effort when they were bowled out for 195 and immediately handed the initiative to Lancashire.

Adams said: "I was disappointed with us on day one. From what was a very committed and full-on performance against Surrey earlier in the week when we almost won we just didn't turn ourselves around. We were behind the eight-ball from the start and paid dearly for it."

Lancashire's four-pronged seam attack, spearheaded by the rejuvenated Dominic Cork who finished with 5-58, bowled with unrelenting accuracy although at 90-1 and only 50 runs behind, Sussex had ambitions of setting Lancashire a testing target on a pitch which Adams reckoned was deteriorating rapidly.

Peter Martin and Glen Chapple set the tone in the first hour and were unlucky to take only one wicket when Ian Ward, who had just been beaten three times in succession outside off stump by Martin, edged a ball which nipped back into him.

Martin and Chapple were eventually replaced, but if Sussex thought batting might get easier they were soon having to re-think as Cork and the fiery Sajid Mahmood shared four wickets to wreck their top order.

Richard Montgomerie, who had laboured dilligently for 115 balls over his 27, was suckered by a clever piece of bowling from Mahmood who followed three outswingers with an inducker which knocked back his off stump as he shouldered arms.

Mahmood was punching the air in delight again in his next over when Adams played fractionally early as he tried to work the ball through the leg side and got a leading edge to gully for a first-ball duck.

Cork then got in on the act as two inswingers in the space of four deliveries accounted for Murray Goodwin, who knocked the bails off with his bat in frustration as he departed, and then Robin Martin-Jenkins.

Tim Ambrose and Matt Prior hinted at salvation, adding 57 in ten overs before Ambrose became Cork's third leg before victim as he played back to a straight one.

The procession began again after lunch. Prior feathered a catch behind reaching for a good length ball from Chapple who then ran out Mushtaq Ahmed in his next over after an awful mix-up when Kevin Innes turned down what looked to be a comfortable second run to deep third man.

Cork wrapped up his first five-wicket haul for his new county by uprooting Jason Lewry's middle stump and having Mo Akram caught high in the gully.

At least Sussex avoided a points deduction for slow over rate by getting through 8.5 overs in 20 minutes before Lancashire completed a win which takes them to the top of the table.

A similar performance against Warwickshire early last season turned Sussex's season around. Now Adams will be intrigued as to how his side react to this unexpected setback.

Rival skipper Warren Hegg was thrilled with a win almost as emphatic as the innings triumph which delayed Sussex's coronation as champions last season.

He said: "Maybe it was a capitulation by Sussex today, but our lads bowled a really disciplined line and length and we held our catches, we swarmed all over them while Corky gives us so much experience when the ball needs to be put in the right areas."

Sussex 195 & 163, Lancashire 335 & 24-0
Lancashire (20pts) beat Sussex (3pts) by 10 wkts.