Forget Australia. What the Sussex players want more than anything this season is to run out at Lord's in the C&G Trophy final and they took another step towards it at Hove yesterday.

A three-day match against the world champions would have been some consolation prize had they lost, not least because they will probably need to reach the final to recoup the £50,000 in revenue a match against Australia would have generated.

But Sussex are desperate to give director of cricket Peter Moores a proper send-off when he leaves at the end of the season and what better way than a first knockout trophy success in 19 years?

Lancashire will provide the sternest of tests in the quarter-final at Old Trafford on July 15 or 16 but Sussex will be confident of taking on anyone if they can maintain the momentum they seem to have discovered in the last week or so.

There were a few scares along the way against Nottinghamshire before Sussex clinched a four-wicket win with three overs to spare, not least when they were 1-2 after losing Ian Ward and Mike Yardy in the first over as they replied to Notts' 195-9.

On a two-paced pitch which inhibited stroke-players on both sides, the visitors were probably slight favourites when Mark Ealham, using all the nous which has brought him more than 300 one-day wickets, snapped up Chris Adams and Matt Prior in the eighth and tenth overs of his spell.

But Murray Goodwin produced another gem of an innings and, although his 59 was top score, he lost out in the man-of-the-match deliberations to Carl Hopkinson, who showed maturity beyond his years to score the second one-day 50 of his career just when his side needed it most.

It is four years since the 23-year-old made his debut but only this season has he been able to regard himself as a regular in the one-day side. He has gained in confidence with every match.

Yesterday, having sized up the situation quickly, he was content to find the gaps and run like a hare between the wickets.

But there is more to Hopkinson's game than merely keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

He used his feet to drive Notts' two spinners, Samit Patel and Graeme Swann, down the ground and, when Gareth Clough dropped short, he pulled him powerfully to the mid-wicket boundary.

The situation was made for Goodwin, who is firmly establishing himself as Sussex's best one-day finisher since the days of Michael Bevan.

He only hit four boundaries but it was his ability to find the smallest of gaps and steal a run or two which eventually drove the Nottinghamshire fielders to distraction.

While he was there he had the situation firmly in control.

Hopkinson said: "I've felt good all year but it's only in the last few games that I've had some time in the middle which is what I needed.

"I enjoy batting with Murray. He's experienced and reels me in a bit when I start getting a bit giddy.

"We knew that if we batted through the overs we would win the game and that's more or less what we did."

Adams believes Hopkinson is progressing at the same rate as Yardy who has been the star of Sussex's season so far.

He said: "Hoppo really came on as a cricketer last season he's matured as a player and now he's getting his opportunity in one-day cricket he is taking it.

"He bats in a similar way to Murray and fortunately they were able to build a partnership which won us the game.

"They seemed to feed off each other's strengths and have a good understanding together."

The only disappointment was that they could not see the job through.

Hopkinson lost his off stump trying to cut Samit Patel's slow left-arm and Goodwin perished to a top-edged sweep with 16 still needed.

But there were three overs remaining when Johan van der Wath settled the issue with a six on to the roof of the Gilligan Stand.

The contest looked like being decided a lot earlier after Notts had slumped to 111-8 in the 33rd over. There was some juice in the pitch to justify Adams' decision to bowl first and he probably figured that a Notts side top-heavy with batters would prefer to chase but most of the visitors' problems were largely of their own making.

Jason Gallian got greedy and tried to pinch a fourth run on an overthrow and skipper Stephen Fleming was beaten by Hopkinson's direct hit from backward point after backing up sluggishly.

From a neutral point of view that was a shame because Fleming's departure ended a breathtaking counter-attack by the New Zealand captain. He came in with his side 5-2 in the second over and quickly lost Gallian before launching his offensive with seven fours and a six in a 58-ball cameo.

Accurate bowling and tigerish fielding meant were never allowed to put together any partnership until Samit Patel came in at No.9 to make a career-best 61 out of a stand of 73 in 16 overs with Clough which included four sixes and three fours.

It gave his team-mates something to bowl at and a target of 196 suddenly looked a long, long way off when Ryan Sidebottom nipped out Ward and Yardy with deliveries which moved late.

For once it was not Yardy's day. He twice dropped Fleming at slip earlier in the piece.

With Ealham and Sidebottom holding sway, Adams and Prior could not afford any risks.

They seemed to have done the hard bit, taking the score to 48 when Adams was caught behind. Two overs later Prior cut a short ball from Ealham to Clough on the cover boundary.

At that stage it was anyone's game but Notts were probably a bowler light and Goodwin and Hopkinson were able to take advantage.

Lancashire and Freddie Flintoff await.

They will be favourites but Sussex quietly fancy their chances of going all the way.

Revised quarter-final draw: Lancashire v Sussex, Surrey v Hampshire, Warwickshire v Kent, Yorkshire v Northamptonshire
May 19, 2005