Johan van der Wath got a taste of just how harsh an environment county cricket can be as Sussex were almost buried under a mountain of Nottinghamshire runs at Trent Bridge yesterday.

The county's new overseas player was not the only bowler to suffer against what early season form suggests is the strongest batting line-up in the Championship.

The South African did claim his first wickets for Sussex but they were rare highlights on a day of almost unrelenting leather-chasing.

Jason Gallian led the way with a magnificent 199 and Stephen Fleming, the man who succeeded him as captain, made a sublime century as Notts cruised along at over four an over throughout the third day.

They resumed today on 488-6, a lead of 109, and, although a draw still looks the likely outcome, Sussex will need to bat well on the final day today.

Van der Wath looked the part in a five-over burst on Thursday, four of which were maidens, but yesterday it was hard to believe it was the same bowler as he consistently over-pitched or offered too much width.

His 17 overs, bowled in three spells, went for 112 runs and the wickets of Anurag Singh and David Hussey provided scant consolation.

His first succes did prove, however, that when he does get it right van der Wath definitely has something to offer as Singh was beaten for pace as much as anything by a ball slanted across his defences.

That was the second of two wickets in the first hour for Sussex, Jason Lewry having struck with the fourth ball of the day when Darren Bicknell was defeated by late inswing.

But it proved to be a false dawn. Once they had played themselves in neither Gallian or Fleming looked in any trouble against either seam or the spin of Mushtaq Ahmed.

Few batsmen have so utterly dominated the leg spinner since his return to county cricket in 2003.

With only slow turn to assist him, Mushtaq lacked his usual effervescence and there was an unusually large number of full tosses and half volleys.

Fleming gave Gallian a 21-over start but eased to a 98-ball hundred first with his 16th boundary, another sweetly timed drive through the covers. When van der Wath tested him with a bouncer next ball, Fleming pulled him effortlessly for another four.

To Sussex's credit, the standard of their fielding never wavered despite the onslaught and Ian Ward produced a direct hit aiming at one stump from mid on to run out Fleming for 111 after the third wicket pair had added 186 in 38 overs.

It was only a temporary respite. Once he had reached his 18th hundred for Notts in his 99th match, Gallian really began to motor. His third 50 came off just 57 balls and at the other end Hussey proved just as difficult to shift.

Hussey took apart far worse attacks than this during his Sussex League days with Horsham and for a while they matched each other shot for shot.

The Australian twice popped Mushtaq over the long on rope and pulled van der Wath for his third six while Gallian went past his previous highest score for the county of 190 in a stand of 188 in 42 overs.

A double hundred was the least he deserved, but on 199 he tried to pinch a single to mid on and Mushtaq ran him out with another direct hit.

Gallian batted for six-and-a-half hours and hit 26 fours and a six. His was the eighth hundred scored by a Notts' batsman before the end of April.

Hussey played on for 89 to give van der Wath some belated success.