Chris Adams is confident Sussex's cricketers will avoid relegation despite a worrying slump in their Championship form.

The county lost their third game out of four at Grace Road yesterday when an eight-wicket defeat by Leicestershire sent them tumbling down the first division table from fourth place to sixth.

Sussex have two games left and next week's home match against third-from-bottom Hampshire now assumes extra significance.

Adams said: "We know Hampshire will come out fighting because it's their last chance of staying up.

"We have created two cup finals for ourselves and our focus now should be on doing your bit for the team with good individual performances, rather than worrying about the outcome which is trying to stay in Division One.

"It would be almost like going back to square one if we ended up going straight back down, but I'm very confident we will stay up.

"The other results yesterday haven't hurt us too much. We know that a couple of solid results in the last two games will see us home and dry.

"Of course I'm worried about our recent performances and confidence has taken a bit of a battering."