Ed Joyce believes a more aggressive approach has been the key to his best ever season with the bat.

The Sussex skipper displayed his positive intent to devastating effect once again at Trent Bridge yesterday by scoring his eighth first class century of the season at almost a run a ball.

Joyce’s innings helped Sussex seize the initiative against Nottinghamshire going into the final day but he will need more of the same if they are to give themselves a shot at victory.

Sussex had raced to 244-3 from 45 overs when bad light stopped play, a lead of 223 having bowled Notts out for 413 in the morning.

Joyce and Luke Wright will look to go on the attack again this morning to give Sussex’s bowlers at least two sessions to try to bowl Notts out and seal a victory which would make them favourites to finish third in the Championship.

Coach Mark Robinson said: “It was a shame the light gave way because we were on a roll and were trying to play positively as we could to keep all the options open.

“A declaration at lunch would seem logical but it is the captain’s decision and if Luke Wright gets going like we know he can then perhaps it may come earlier.

“You’ve got to be careful though because it is still a good wicket and the outfield is very fast so if someone like Alex Hales gets going then he could score very quickly.

“But we want to give ourselves the best chance to win. The wicket is a bit like the one at Scarborough where there is a bit in it for the new ball so if you get it right you can nick two or three off quite quickly.”

A Joyce century against Nottinghamshire was almost predictable. This was his seventh in first class cricket against the county and his third in the last two years.

He put on 152 with Chris Nash for the second wicket at more than five an over after Mike Yardy – opening in place of the out-of-form Luke Wells – had fallen cheaply.

Nash looked on course for a second century in the game before nicking Luke Fletcher behind for 85 but his efforts in this match have given Sussex a real chance of victory.

Something far rarer and perhaps unique had occurred earlier in the day as Notts’s slipped from 310-3 overnight to 413 all out.

That gave them a lead of 22 which they would probably not have had if Lewis Hatchett had not seen three catches go down off his bowling from successive deliveries.

Samit Patel was the lucky batsman, Chris Jordan, Joyce and Ben Brown the guilty parties, but otherwise Sussex did well to restrict Notts’ advantage.

Steve Magoffin removed James Taylor for 126 and later trapped Luke Fletcher lbw to finish with figures of 4-72 and move level with Jack Brooks as the leading wicket-taker in division one on 64.

Hatchett’s fortunes changed as he bowled Chris Read and then quickly removed both Harry Gurney and Gary Keedy to end with 4-99.

Hatchett said: “The three drops is something I've never seen before and guess not many other people have either. I hope it doesn’t ever happen again but the boys have been catching so well this season - it was just a freak thing really.”