Nottinghamshire's attempts to win their fourth championship match of the season, and close the gap on leaders Durham, were frustrated by a fifth-wicket partnership of 109 between Sussex pair Luke Wright and Carl Hopkinson at Horsham.

Sussex were required to score 222 to avoid an innings defeat after Nottinghamshire had declared in the morning, and when they slumped to 140 for four, losing the wickets of Ed Joyce, Chris Nash and Murray Goodwin in the space of four overs in the afternoon session, they were in danger of losing the match.

But hands were shaken and a draw was accepted with Sussex 249 for four in the LV Championship Division One tussle.

Captain Michael Yardy was the first to go with the score on 62, caught behind off the bowling of Charlie Shreck.

Sussex looked safe as Nash and Joyce added 66 for the second wicket in 17 overs, but Joyce then walked when his attempt to on-drive the off-spinner Samit Patel merely drove the ball straight back to the bowler.

Three overs later Nash, who hit 17 fours in his 120-minute 87, was trapped leg before as he pushed forward to Andre Adams.

When Goodwin was the fourth man out with the score on 140, bowled for two as he attempted to cut Patel, Sussex had lost three wickets for 12 runs and the Nottinghamshire fielders started moving with a fresh energy.

But they were not helped by the easy nature of the pitch and Wright took the attack to the Nottinghamshire bowlers, initially dominating his two hour partnership.

He hit 11 fours, mostly pulled, in his unbeaten 59, and in the latter stages his stroke-play was matched by that of Hopkinson, whose 47 not out included nine boundaries.

Nottinghamshire had resumed the day at 429 for four and batted on for 16 overs, adding 102 runs, although only 36 of those came in boundaries.

They lost two wickets in that time. Adam Vogues had added 22 runs to his overnight 117 when he was out in the eighth over of the morning, lbw as he attempted to sweep Ollie Rayner with the score on 478.

Ali Brown, who drove Rayner for six over mid-off, was sixth out for 42 with his side on 501, Joyce taking an outstanding catch as he ran from deep mid-wicket to deep square-leg.

Nottinghamshire then added 30 runs in just 11 minutes, with Chris Read scoring a run-a-ball 25, before declaring at 531 for six.