Sussex missed the chance to take over at the top of the County Championship after they were held to a draw for the first time this season by Nottinghamshire yesterday.

But Director of Cricket Peter Moores feels his side are in good shape ahead of tomorrow's top-two showdown with leaders Surrey at Hove (11am).

The county took 12 points at Trent Bridge after Russell Warren scored a century for the hosts who reached 291-4 in their second innings after following on 201 runs behind.

Moores said: "It all went pretty much to plan until the partnership of Darren Bicknell and Russell Warren but I'm happy with a 12 point draw inside three days, particularly away from home.

"It leaves us tucked in right behind Surrey and it's not a bad position to be in bearing in mind the amount of points there are still left to play for."

Notts were 34-2 in their second innings, but Sussex were unable to seperate Darren Bicknell and Warren until late in the afternoon session and by then the home side were well on their way to saving the game.

"I thought we bowled very well with the new ball and were a bit unlucky really," added Moores.

"Paul Hutchison bowled well and had them playing and missing and if a couple of edges from Bicknell had carried to the slips then it might have turned out differently. All credit to Notts, they stuck to their task and batted much better second time around.

"We've had a real good go at it and I was pleased that we created enough time to give ourselves a chance to bowl them out twice but unfortunately we couldn't quite pull it off. Mushtaq wasn't as effective as we would have liked because the pitch was so slow but the seamers gave it everything."

Next up are the champions Surrey and Moores is aware of the different challenge Sussex can expect, but he is happy with the situation in his own dressing room.

"We're going into the game with players on form and that's important," he added. "Murray Goodwin has got some runs this weekend as has Tony Cottey, and Robin Martin-Jenkins batted superbly on Sunday.

"James Kirtley bowled brilliantly for his five wickets and Hutchison was missing a bit of luck. We'll go into the Surrey game with confidence."

Sussex needed to take 13 Notts wickets on the final day and they harboured genuine hopes of a fifth successive victory after wrapping up their first innings in 7.5 overs at the start of play.

Sussex had the perfect start when Kevin Pietersen was out for a superb 139 to the eighth ball, edging a pearler from Kirtley which held its line nicely to slip.

His dismissal exposed a long Notts tail and Kirtley claimed his fifth wicket when he bowled Andrew Harris with a delivery which kept low to finish with 5-60.

Then in the next over Gareth Clough top-edged a sweep off Mushtaq to a retreating Adams at midwicket to be caught for 16 and leave Notts all out for 296.

Kirtley was again quick to strike when Nottinghamshire went in again, trapping Jason Gallian leg before for a duck with the third ball of the innings to complete a miserable match for the home captain.

Bicknell and Guy Welton survived for 45 minutes although both batsmen played and missed on a number of occasions to keep the four slips interested.

It was left-armer Hutchison who made the next breakthrough when Cottey took a fine one-handed diving catch to his left at square leg to remove Welton for eight.

Bicknell lived dangerously for a time with several edges falling just short of the slip cordon.

But the former Surrey man grew in confidence to fashion a third wicket stand of 110 with Warren before he eventually fell for 75 to Kirtley when an uppish square cut was well held by Richard Montgomerie at gully.

With the pitch flattening out and offering Mushtaq little encouragement, Sussex struggled to come up with ideas to trouble Warren and Pietersen, the former reaching his 50 off 72 balls with eight fours and a six and moving slowly but smoothly towards his hundred.

The occasional ball kept low but the two batsmen reached the target of 201 to make Sussex bat again in the 56th over and from there the game was destined for a draw.

Pietersen provided some entertainment for the spectators as he tried reach his second hundred of the match, but instead Montgomerie took a return catch to claim only his second first class wicket and end the South African's innings for 81.

The fitness of Tim Ambrose is Sussex's main concern ahead of the Surrey showdown.

Ambrose is receiving intensive treatment on the twisted knee he suffered a week ago in the National League fixture against Durham.

Kevin Innes is definitely ruled out by a pelvic problem so off-spinner Mark Davis comes into the squad and is likely to play.

Moores said: "Tim's injury is healing up slower than we thought and he still a bit sore.

"He's been having treatment three or four times a day and we'll know more later today."

Moores feels his side will go into the game full of confidence with plenty of players in good form.

"Murray and Robin both got good hundreds and Richard Montgomerie and Chris Adams have got themselves some runs as well.

"Bowling-wise, James Kirtley did really well on a very slow pitch while Paul Hutchison has got some overs under his belt which is important. "We're in good order and looking forward to the Surrey game."

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