Sussex's winless run now extends to eight matches in all competitions after their injury-hit side suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

A Sussex total of 176 never looked like being enough, even though the pitch gave some assistance to the seamers, and Kevin Pietersen soon put conditions into perspective.

The South-African born batsman, who becomes qualified for England at the end of the season, hit an unbeaten 80 off 85 balls with 11 fours and a six, sharing a match-winning second wicket partnership of 115 with Russell Warren (45) as Notts eased home with seven overs to spare.

Sussex now have five days to regroup before they return to action against Somerset, also in the totesport League, at Hove.

They should be boosted by the return of Ian Ward (bruised hand) and Mushtaq Ahmed (thigh strain) who both missed the Trent Bridge clash as a result of injuries sustained in the C&G Trophy defeat against Lancashire.

Sussex gave Luke Wright a competition debut while Carl Hopkinson made his first League appearance of the season, but only Adams - and to a lesser extent Matt Prior - got to grips with accurate bowling, notably from Greg Smith who finished with competition-best figures of 4-28.

The recalled Tim Ambrose was one of his victims while Murray Goodwin's wretched run continued when he fell for a fifth-ball duck, caught off a thin edge by Chris Read who was in superb form behind the stumps.

Prior made an attractive 34, but Read had three catches and two stumpings, including one off a leg-side wide to remove Hopkinson, to savour.

Adams and Michael Yardy gave Sussex hope with a stand of 68, but Adams top-edged leg-spinner Stuart MacGill after making his second half-century of the season in the competition as the county lost their last six wickets for 32.