Tony Cottey hammered a superb unbeaten 132 but it was not quite enough to give Sussex their first pre-season win at Hove yesterday.

Gloucestershire edged home in the 45-overs-a-side game by virtue of losing fewer wickets after Sussex, replying to the visitors' 229-6, were dismissed for 229 with eight balls left.

Sussex tied with Kent in their previous game with the scores finishing level with the same number of wickets being lost, and Cottey almost single-handedly steered his side to an unlikely win after pace bowler Jonathan Lewis snapped up 5-23 to leave the hosts reeling on 133-8.

A thrilling finish was set up by an exhibition of big hitting from Cottey who plundered 16 fours and four sixes in a 124-ball innings.

After reaching his 50 in 70 balls, Cottey raced to three figures from only a further 35 deliveries and Jason Lewry joined him to add 34 for the ninth wicket before Lewry was bowled by Martyn Ball for 12.

Last man Billy Taylor gave Cottey solid support as the former Glamorgan batsman dominated a last-wicket stand of 62 in just seven overs.

That put the game well within Sussex's grasp as they only needed two off the last two overs but, after blocking three deliveries from skipper Mark Alleyne, Taylor (4) edged a catch to wicketkeeper Jack Russell and Gloucestershire squeezed home.

Cottey began his 170 minute knock with Sussex 2-2 after the early dismissals of Richard Montgomerie and skipper Chris Adams for ducks.

Former Leicestershire batsman Ashley Wright, who is on trial, hit 33 before falling to Mark Hardinges and Michael Yardy went for a duck before Lewis claimed his second victim by having Matt Prior (20) caught behind. Carl Hopkinson, Mushtaq Ahmed and Hutchison followed in the same over.

Pakistan spinner Mushtaq, who only arrived on Saturday afternoon, took 2-29 in two spells as solid batting down the order took Gloucestershire to a competitive score.

Left-arm pace bowler Hutchison (2-43) struck two early blows by sending back Craig Spearman and new signing Philip Weston, while Matt Windows fell to Taylor for just a single.

Hardinges (50) and Russell (44) joined forces in an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 113.

Scores: Gloucestershire 229-6 (45 overs), Sussex 229 (43.4 overs).

The sides were meeting at Hove again today at 11am.