Ed Joyce made a superb unbeaten century as Sussex toppled YB40 group leaders Nottinghamshire by four wickets at Hove.

Joyce hit 123 off 109 deliveries – his 13th List A century - as the Sharks comfortably chased down Nottinghamshire’s total of 290-5 with nine balls to spare.

Luke Wright hit a quickfire 62 and Matt Machan an even more rapid 51 to give Sussex their second win in the competition in the space of three days.

Notts remain top of Group A but now need to win their final game against Kent to ensure their place in the semi-finals while Sussex are fourth.

Earlier, Alex Hales had hit 101 from 88 balls and David Hussey 82 from 64 deliveries as the Outlaws recovered from losing two early wickets after winning the toss to set an imposing total.

The dangerous Michael Lumb fell second ball as he was trapped lbw by Lewis Hatchett for a golden duck.

Hatchett picked up his second wicket when Chris Jordan took a superb one-handed catch at first slip to removed James Taylor for nine.

Those early setbacks did not phase a Notts team who bat very deep and a century partnership between Samit Patel and Hales got them right back on track.

Even when Patel holed out to fine leg off the bowling of Chris Liddle for 43 it did not slow the Outlaws down as Hussey joined Hales to continue the carnage.

Hales brought up his fourth List A hundred off 87 balls but fell to Mike Yardy shortly afterwards when Rory Hamilton-Brown took a good tumbling catch running in from the long-on boundary.

That was the cue for Hussey to up the tempo and together with Riki Wessels they put on 81 off just 39 balls.

Wessels became Hatchett’s third victim having made 34 from 24 balls with Hussey unbeaten at the end on 82 from 64 balls as Notts scored 176 from their last 20 overs to set a total of 290-5.

Luke Wright quickly set about making inroads into that target as he smashed three sixes on his way to a 33-ball 50 as he put on a century stand with Joyce for the second game in a row.

Wright fell for 62 but it did not slow Sussex down as Joyce and Matt Machan put on 94 off 64 balls for the second wicket.

Joyce reached his 50 off 45 balls while Machan needed just 25 deliveries to get to his half century before sweeping a full toss from David Hussey straight to square leg.

By that point Sussex had already got the run rate down to under five an over but Chris Nash, Mike Yardy, Rory Hamilton-Brown and Chris Jordan all fell cheaply to give Notts renewed hope.

Joyce kept his composure to see them home aided by an unbeaten 20 from Will Beer who smashed a six to seal victory.