James Kirtley admits he will not be able to resist a glance at Lancashire's score this week.

But the Sussex vice-captain reckons the county can make great use of their low key week ahead of decisive fixtures in the Pro40 and Championship.

Sussex will hope Lancashire drop points to Durham in their game in handas the battle for the Championship reaches a finale.

The county then face back-to-back games with Nottinghamshire to decide whether they add silverware to their C&G Trophy.

Kirtley, who skippered Sussex to a thrilling Pro40 win at Lord's on Sunday, looked ahead to this week and said: "I'd be lying to say we won't be looking at the Lancashire score at regular times.

"But there is nothing we can do about it.

"What we can do is prepare for next week.

"Already the side are thinking about facing Sidebottom, Swann, Ealham and Shreck, who is having a really good year.

"The batsmen are already considering who they are going to face.

"In terms of who we are going to bowl at, people like Hussey, Fleming and Bicknell will be their key men.

"You start preparing for how you might bowl to them.

"We've got a week of preparation and we get to rest, which at this stage of the year is a luxury.

"We get to regenerate, we get ourselves in the right sort of form physically, mentally and technically."

Kirtley paid tribute to popular Pakistani all-rounder Yasir Arafat, who signed off for the county with a 4-6 blast and the winning boundary at Lord's.

He said: "For Yasir to finish like that was very fitting.

"He has been a very able replacement for Rana Naved.

"What he has offered the dressing room is youth, energy and desire to take wickets and score runs.

"He wants to be at the centre of things and it's a shame we will not see much more of him but I am sure there will be a lot of other counties sniffing around to see what his availability is for next year."
Yesterday's scores - Liverpool Victoria County Championship division two, Chelmsford: Derbyshire 184 (Hassan Adnan 60,Phillips 5-41) & 218 v Essex 580-3 dec (Pettini 208 no, Tudor 144, A Flower 136 no) Essex (22pts) beat Derbyshire (1pts) by an innings and 178 runs. NatWest Pro40 division one, Trent Bridge Nottinghamshire Outlaws 191-9 Innings Complete (Hussey 73) v Warwickshire Bears 123-5 Warwickshire beat Nottinghamshire by 5 wkts (D/L Method).