Sussex made a losing start to their Royal London One Day Cup campaign as they went down by 29 runs to Nottinghamshire at Horsham.

Alex Hales hit 116 from 115 balls to help Notts make 312-8 despite a mid-innings collapse sparked by Steffan Piolet (2-35) and Will Beer (3-60).

Steven Mullaney blasted a quickfire 40 at the end and then took 4-33 as Sussex were restricted to 283-8 in reply despite an unbeaten 63 from Piolet.

Hales followed up his hundred in the Championship against Sussex at Hove earlier in the season by getting Notts off to an ideal start after being put in to bat at Cricketfield Road.

The England batsman put on 139 with Michael Lumb who was bowled for 77 by Will Beer as he came down the track to the leg-spinner.

Hales went on the offensive after he completed his 50 – from 73 deliveries - by smashing Beer for two big sixes but Notts’ hopes of building on their good start began to unravel.

James Taylor was bowled for 13 by Beer, Samit Patel was caught in the deep by Matt Machan off the bowling of Piolet for eight and Riki Wessels was run out by a direct hit from Beer for a duck.

Hales brought up his century by cutting Piolet for his eighth four of the match, with his second 50 only taking 34 balls.

He fell soon afterwards when he holed out to Lewis Hatchett at long on to give Piolet his second wicket.

Beer then had James Franklin caught and bowled as Notts went from 187-1 to 235-6 in the space of 49 balls.

Steven Mullaney blasted 40 from just 20 balls to give the Outlaws’ innings renewed impetus near the end before he became one of Lewis Hatchett’s two victims near the end.

Sussex got off to a good start in reply as Ed Joyce and Luke Wells put on 65 for the opening wicket but began to lose wickets at regular intervals.

Wells was caught at point off the bowling of James Franklin for a career-best 23 before Mullaney removed Craig Cachopa (22), Chris Nash (26) and Ben Brown (3).

Ed Joyce made 59 but the game was up when he skied an attempted pull off Samit Patel and was superbly caught by James Taylor running back from midwicket.

Matt Machan hit 43 and Piolet completed a fine game by scoring his maiden List A half century as Sussex desperately tried to stay in contention but it proved in vain.