Lancashire's Gary Keedy believes his side and not Sussex should be celebrating Championship glory.

On the eve of the final instalment in a thrilling battle for cricket's biggest prize, Keedy today stoked up the fires by claiming that his side deserve to win their first title since 1934.

Keedy took ten wickets to make sure the Championship race went to the last round of matches as Lancashire inflicted an innings defeat on their rivals at Old Trafford on Saturday.

It was Sussex's fourth defeat of the campaign while Lancashire have only lost once - at Hove last month.

Keedy said: "I understand the Sussex lads are already looking at the weather forecast for this week.

"We gave them a good hiding and I think we deserve to win the title."

There is little love lost between the two teams. Lancashire were furious at some of the umpiring decisions when they were beaten at the County Ground while there were plenty of abrasive verbal confrontations on the field in the return fixture last week.

But at the end of it all Sussex are still odds-on favourites to win the first Championship in their 164-year history.

They only need six points from their final game against Leicestershire at Hove tomorrow and that is assuming that Lancashire get a maximum 22 points from their final trip to another relegated county, Nottinghamshire. However, director of cricket Peter Moores has promised that the attitude of his side will be a lot different.

He said: "The win we had over Lancashire on Sunday was good for confidence, but that's what we've been doing all season - bouncing back after a setback.

"The Championship defeat was probably the kick up the backside we needed. To be fair, Lancashire played very well but tomorrow will be different.

"We will be very focused and looking to end the season with a win. We want to play our own game, be aggressive, which is what we've been doing all season, and win the Championship with a bit of style."

Sussex will also draw confidence from their home record where they have won six out of seven and drawn the other.

Moores has not given groundsman Derek Traill any extra instructions as he prepares this week's wicket.

"Derek has prepared cracking cricket wickets all season and this one will probably be no different," he added.

"If you don't bowl well you will be punished, but there is always something in it for the seamers. They have taken turn as the game has gone on, but it's not as if Mushtaq has rocked up and just bowled sides out every time. He got ten wickets against Middlesex in the last game, but he didn't get his first for 26 overs."

Sussex are preparing to host near full houses for all four days and Moores is appealing for Sussex supporters to get behind his side in their bid to make history.

He said: "We expect good home support and I can assure everyone that we will be giving it a red-hot go to end the season with a win."

HOW THE TITLE WILL BE WON: Sussex need six points to make sure. There are eight bonus points available, five for batting and three for bowling. Batting points are awarded when a side scores 200 and then for every 50 runs after that up to a maximum of 400.

Bowling points are awarded when a side takes three, six and nine wickets. Bonus points can only be gained in the first 130 overs of an innings.

Lancashire need to take all eight bonus points and 14 for a win against Nottinghamshire if Sussex don't get their six points. Sussex's target goes down by one point for every bonus point Lancashire fail to claim. Four points are awarded for a draw.