Chris Adams has laughed off any suggestion of a rift between Sussex and Kent.

The neighbouring counties were locked in Frizzell County Championship action at Hove today.

Kent skipper David Fulton, his team's top scorer in the four-day match, angered some Sussex members when he criticised the county's march to the title last year.

Sussex skipper Adams said: "Dave said some pretty forthright things about us in the press last year but he wrote me a letter in the winter saying it had come across badly.

"I said to him 'Dave, how can I be offended? You're allowed to have your opinion. It won't alter my opinion of you'. That's what I wish people would do more, just be honest."

Sussex needed seven wickets today to clinch their first home win of the Championship season.

They made inroads with the final ball of the day's fourth over, Michael Carberry gloving Mohammad Akram to Richard Montgomerie at slip.

Akram bowled with pace and bounce fom the Sea End while Mushtaq Ahmed wheeled away down the slope.

Victory would take Sussex above Surrey in the division one table but they would remain in the drop zone after Middlesex beat Worcestershire yesterday.