Stand-in skipper James Kirtley today admitted Sussex are relishing the chance of claiming an historic treble.

The Sharks can still nick the NatWest Pro40 title from under the noses of leaders Essex after pipping Middlesex by four wickets with three balls to spare in a tense finish at Lord's yesterday.

Sussex needed five to win off the last over, delivered by Johann Louw with top scorer Murray Goodwin, on 90, initially facing.

Goodwin drove the first ball wide of long-on for two but was then yorked to bring Yasir Arafat to the crease in his farewell appearance.

The Pakistani flexed his muscles, looked at the field, then drove straight back past a couple of diving fielders for the winning boundary.

Sussex now prepare for two key trips to Trent Bridge while, figuratively at least, also signing up for the Durham supporters club.

They need the north east county to beat Essex next Sunday to have a chance of winning the Pro40 and could do with them robbing Lancashire of points in the Championship this week.

Sussex have one game left in both the Pro40 and Championship, both of them in Nottingham.

Kirtley, leading the team as Chris Adams rested a hand injury, is loving the excitement of the run-in.

He said: "This is where any team wants to be. It's what we talk about in pre-seeaosn.

"We've got one trophy but you can see the hunger to win more is in this side.

"We are getting good at chasing. When you have got someone like Murray Goodwin in your side, you know he can take the responsibility extremely well.

"We needed one of our more experienced players to bat and win the game and that is exactly what he did."

Chasing 186, it soon became apparent Sussex would need Goodwin to bat the vast majority of their innings if they were to keep title hopes alive.

He ground it out, taking 71 balls to pass 50 and going 21 overs without a boundary at one point.

The required rate reached 8.5 an over but Goodwin hit three of his six fours off successive Chris Silverwood deliveries in the 37th.

That left Sussex needing a run a ball in the closing stages and Goodwin and Robin Martin-Jenkins kept the score ticking over.

It was never easy against some tight bowling and fielding.

Matt Prior, bowled as he went for a wild swing, and Richard Montgomerie, edging to slip, went inside seven overs.

Chris Peploe then played a big part, taking a fine catch at short cover as Chris Nash drove and bowling the uneasy Sean Heather as he went down the wicket.

Carl Hopkinson added 48 with Goodwin for the fifth wicket before being caught at long-on.

That Sussex had a testing target to chase was mainly down to Ed Smith after they put the hosts in.

Smith hit 13 fours in his attractive 87 before holing out on the short square leg boundary as Arafat returned to the attack.

Arafat and Kirtley, back at what must be his favourite ground north of the A27, did a great job curtailing the home innings as Crusaders lost the last six of their nine wickets for just 24.

Arafat's final contribution with the ball as a Shark included a late-innings blast of 4-6 in 12 balls. But he still had one final blow to strike.