It looks like one of the biggest mis-matches of the season, but Sussex batsman Matt Prior believes the county are capable of dumping favourites Lancashire out of the C&G Trophy.

Lancashire will arrive at Hove on Saturday with an unbeaten record in one-day cricket this season to face a Sussex side with just two wins from five games.

While Sussex's seemingly never-ending flirtation with the bottom end of the totesport League continues, their opponents are top of the first division after last Sunday's win over Glamorgan and have been installed as favourites to lift their 12th one-day knockout trophy.

They also gained an important psychological edge over Sussex last month when they won easily in the Championship at Hove inside three days.

"There always seems to be a bit of spice when we play them," said Prior, who will have a key role for Sussex at the top of the order.

"They are a very good side with so many obvious match-winners. But if we get it right I think we can win. It's still hard to come to Hove and beat us, we know our wicket well."

Their record so far might suggest otherwise, but Sussex's one-day form has improved this season and Prior has made an important contribution with 206 runs at 43.00 including scores of 70 and 72 against Middlesex and Yorkshire respectively in the totesport League.

Mind you, he would have had to have been batting with a matchstick not to have improved on last season's efforts as opener when he endured three successive ducks at Lord's, Northampton and Taunton and scored just one against Derbyshire at Arundel before dropping back down the order.

"I had three first-ballers in a row which is just bad luck and nothing to do with technique," he said. "I was getting runs in the Championship at the time so it wasn't as if I was out of form, but the coaches felt it would harm my confidence so I dropped back down."

Prior opened again in two matches during England A's winter tour of India where the penny dropped.

"That's where I learned how to open the innings in one-day cricket," he said.

"Before I was too eager to go after the bowling straight away, but I feel much more confident now.

"I'm more selective about when to attack and if a bowler bowls a maiden I don't panic and start taking unnecessary risks.

"The other boys have given me confidence because they trust me to score quickly without trying too hard.

"I love the challenge of the new ball and in my book opening is the best place to bat in the one-day side."

You will not find opening partner Ian Ward disagreeing. Ward was shunted up and down the one-day order during his last couple of seasons at Surrey, but since settling back into his customary role with his new county he has scored 307 runs including a sensational career-best 136 against Leicestershire last Sunday.

"Wardy backs me up," added Prior. "We don't say too much when we're out their together which I like. Some players like to be reassured by the guy at the other end but Wardy just lets me get on with my game."