Skipper Chris Adams believes Sussex are just one win and two good draws away from securing the County Championship for the first time in the club's history.

If it isn't, then not only will title rivals Surrey have produced a performance worthy of champions but Sussex will go down as the unluckiest team in recent years not to have won the domestic game's leading prize.

Sussex smashed through the 200-point barrier on Friday after hammering Essex by an innings in what must rank as one of their most impressive Championship performances since they last came close to winning the title when John Barclay's side finished runners-up in 1981.

Surrey's failure to beat Leicestershire yesterday means Sussex lead the County Championship by five points.

The confidence coursing through Sussex veins at the moment was evident as they scored at nearly six runs an over before rolling Essex over twice in four-and-a-half sessions to make it six wins in eight games.

If they can maintain that level of performance in the run-in then the pennant will surely be fluttering above the County Ground for the first time.

Since the competition was split into two divisions in 2000 Surrey have won with 213 points in 2000 and 242.75 two years later. When Yorkshire broke the Surrey stranglehold in 2001 they finished with 219 points.

Another win and two draws would probably take them beyond 250 points and if that isn't good enough to win the title then Adams and his side are entitled to feel hard done by.

He said: "I'd say it's evens between us and Surrey now. If we win one and get two very good draws then Surrey will have to be at their very best to beat two very good sides in Lancashire and Kent.

"If they do then I will be the first to congratulate them because they will have earned their success."

While the county try to rediscover some one-day form with games against Durham and Scotland this week they will no doubt have one eye on events at Old Trafford where Surrey face the first two potentially tricky Championship matches against third-placed Lancashire.

Adam Hollioake's men also have to to Canterbury to face a Kent side who have won their last three games to move clear of relegation trouble before rounding off their campaign with what looks like a home banker against Essex at the Oval.

Sussex, meanwhile, return to four-day action against Middlesex at Hove next week. They should have James Kirtley back for what is shaping up to be the county's most important Championship match since 1981 at Old Trafford before Leicestershire visit Hove in the final round on September 17.

Surrey have become the accepted role model for aspiring champions in recent years and rightly so after winning four titles in five seasons.

But Matt Prior, who made a career-best 153 not out last week, has revealed that his team are drawing inspiration instead from the all-conquering Australians.

It's hard to make too many favourable comparisons between county cricket and the Test arena, but I guess even Steve Waugh would have bee impressed with the ruthlessness with which Sussex demolished Essex at Colchester.

"We're now playing cricket - dare I say it - like the Australians," said Prior.

"By that I mean we are going into games believing we are better than the opposition, confirming probabilities and expecting to win. There is such confidence in the side at the moment.

"The Essex game went according to plan. We batted superbly and when you have someone like Mushtaq Ahmed in your side you've always got a chance.

"We've got a break now and I think that will do us good. Four-day cricket does take it out of you physically and mentally and we have a week where we can regroup but still be together, bowlers can put their feet up and our batsman can still have an opportunity to continue their good form."

Mushtaq's seven wickets against Essex took his haul for the season to 89 and it seems inconceivable now that he won't become the first Sussex bowler since Tony Buss in 1967 and the first in the Championship for five years to take 100 wickets.

As exciting is the prospect that no fewer than six Sussex batsman have a realistic chance of joining Murray Goodwin in scoring 1,000 first-class runs before the end of the summer.

Tony Cottey only needs one more run while Prior (846), Tim Ambrose (824), Richard Montgomerie (801), Robin Martin-Jenkins (795) and Adams (778) have extra incentive as the season builds up to a thrilling finale.

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