Australian Adam Voges made his first hundred for Nottinghamshire to put them in a strong position with a day remaining of their LV County Championship Division One clash against Sussex at Horsham.

The 29-year-old from Perth scored an unbeaten 117 on the third day as Nottinghamshire reached 429 for four, a lead of 120.

Sussex should still be able to escape with a draw on a pitch which is offering little assistance to the bowlers, but it was another frustrating day for their attack.

Play did not start until 3.10pm because of persistent drizzle with the loss of 48 overs.

Opener Matthew Wood soon departed when he was within 14 runs of his first hundred for four years, trapped in front by Luke Wright after facing 201 balls in almost five hours.

Voges and Patel made relatively sedate progress before tea as they added 61 in 21 overs before going on the offensive, adding 137 in 25 during the final session.

Pepler Sandri was smashed out of the attack by Voges when he flogged seven boundaries off the South African in the space of three overs, including five in six balls.

Voges had made 99 against Worcestershire and 95 against Lancashire earlier in the season but he finally reached his eighth first-class hundred with a single off Robin Martin-Jenkins, the second 50 runs coming from just 53 balls and containing eight boundaries.

Patel played superbly in support and looked like following him to three figures but the persevering Martin-Jenkins was finally rewarded when Patel top-edged a pull and was caught at mid-wicket by the diving Murray Goodwin for 91, made from 121 deliveries with 16 fours.

It ended a fourth-wicket stand of 168 in 29 overs and Voges and Alistair Brown played quietly until the close.