Sussex may have got their act together in the Championship but it could be a while before the same can be said about their one-day cricket.

Lord's last August seemed a lifetime away after the holders were humiliated by Essex Eagles in the FP Trophy at Arundel yesterday.

The holders never recovered from outstanding new-ball spells by South African Andre Nel and Martin Saggers against a side who still have a chance of reaching next week's semi-finals.

In his last appearance for the county, Nel took two wickets in three balls while Saggers, who is on loan from Kent for a month, picked up the crucial scalps of Murray Goodwin and Mike Yardy.

When Graham Napier replaced Nel in the 13th over and removed Chris Nash with his second ball Sussex were an embarrassing 20-5. It became 23-6 in Napier's next over when Carl Hopkinson was beaten by a ball of full length which swung in a touch.

The ball seemed to do more for the Essex bowlers in humid conditions but that was no excuse for Sussex finding themselves 34-7 in the 18th over when Ollie Rayner drove straight to mid off.

At that stage they were heading for their lowest total in one-day cricket when they were bowled out for 49 by Derbyshire's Alan Ward on a green top at Chesterfield in 1969.

Robin Martin-Jenkins and Andrew Hodd saved face with an eighth-wicket stand of 58 with Martin-Jenkins contributing a fluent 44.

It was all academic of course and Nel picked up Martin-Jenkins with his third ball when he returned to the attack.

And Sussex at least managed to extend their innings for longer than last week's 34 overs against Kent but the losing margin was still an embarrassing 132 runs.

A crowd of over 3,000 seemed fairly sanguine as the wickets were tumbling as Sussex outground audiences tend to be but the mood in the dressing room would not have been so philosophical.

Coach Mark Robinson had promised more fight after last week's 112-run thrashing by Kent and this top-order capitulation was not what he expected.

There will be criticism of Sussex's team selection but after four gruelling days in the Championship and with nothing to play for it made sense to rest some of the big guns.

Yardy led the side for the first time in Chris Adams' absence and the only Pakistan international on view was Essex's leg-spinner Danish Kaneria as Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana Naved had a breather.

Their attack did well to peg Essex back after they were well placed at 173-3 with 15 overs remaining and on course for a total approaching 300 thanks to a stand of 69 for the fourth wicket between Grant Flower and James Foster.

James Kirtley led the way with 3-45 including Essex's Brighton-born captain Mark Pettini with the new ball and the other two when he returned at the end to york Ryan Ten Doeschate and Saggers.

Chris Liddle got an opportunity and the left-armer could be pleased with his efforts which included his first one-day wicket for his new county.

It was a decent scalp too as Flower was superbly held at backward point by Goodwin after top-scoring with 55 from 62 balls which included straight sixes off Martin-Jenkins and Wright.

The other crumb of comfort for Sussex was that Yardy was able to bowl a full ten overs for the first time since breaking a finger nearly two months ago.

His first victim was Bopara, a possible rival for a place in England's one-day squad later this summer, who was bowled by one which kept a touch low.

The pitch had a bit more pace than the wicket used for the Championship game and Essex were able to accelerate at the end thanks to some bold strokeplay by Kaneria, whose unbeaten 33 included a six off Kirtley was a one-day best.

A total of 256-9 was always going to be competitive. As it turned out, 56 nearly did the job.

Wright and Nash became Sussex's fifth different opening pair in the competition but their latest experiment lasted just nine balls before Wright slashed fatally outside off stump. Montgomerie's benefit-match innings ended when he shouldered arms and lost his off stump.

It was nothing more than a procession after that. Goodwin was pinned in front by Saggers who then bowled Yardy through the gate.

Napier proved no less effective when he replaced Nel and the biggest cheer of the day came when Martin-Jenkins took three off Kaneria to take his side past the dreaded 49. It was that sort of day.

As near to a full-strength side as possible must surely face Middlesex at Lord's in the final group game on Wednesday for no other reason than Sussex desperately need any sort of limited overs win to take some confidence into the Twenty20 Cup, which starts with a tough-looking assignment at Chelmsford on Friday week.