CHRIS Adams refused to write off Sussex's Championship hopes after they suffered more Egbaston misery yesterday.

The county's wait for a win in Birmingham will extend into a 23rd season after they squandered a great opportunity to put daylight between them and their rivals.

Chasing a target of 228 in 90 overs, Sussex were bowled out for 126 with half of them unused in remarkably similar circumstances to their last defeat here two years ago when they fell in a heap on the fourth day.

Of course that summer ended with a famous first ever Championship success but if there is to be a repeat Sussex have to win their last two games - at home to Glamorgan and Kent - and hope that their four rivals, who now include Warwickshire and who all have at least one game in hand, slip up. It is a tall order.

But Adams is not about to throw the towel just yet. He said: "If we'd gone to Edgbaston, which has always been a difficult place for us to get a win, and someone had offered us 12 points for the draw I think we would have taken it and I suspect Warwickshire would have as well.

"We've brought them back into the Championship race by losing but we've dropped four points from that scenario and I don't think the title will be decided by four points. Historically the margin is always ten to 20 points at least. We know what we have to do now which is win our last two games.

"It's been a very tough month physically for us and after the two one-dayers this week we will be ready for a break. And by the time we play Glamorgan we'll have a much better idea of what we need to do."

Sussex were guilty of getting into a defensive mindset too soon yesterday.

Richard Montgomerie cracked two fours in the first over from Makhiya Ntini but it turned out to be a false dawn.

Montgomerie soon fenced at a ball from the South African quick which bounced more than he expected and Ntini struck again when Mike Yardy's back foot force off a ball too close to him ended up in the hands of slip.

At one stage Sussex were marooned on 32-2 for 46 balls and just when they had got the scoreboard ticking again they suffered three terminal blows in the space of four overs either side of lunch.

Neil Carter, angling the ball across the right-handers from wide of the crease, did just enough to have Carl Hopkinson and Murray Goodwin caught behind off thin edges in successive overs and Adams was leg before to James Anyon off the third ball after the resumption. Sussex were 68-5 and in need of a miracle.

Robin Martin-Jenkins tried his best and remained until the end but the partnership Sussex needed to get Warwickshire hearts fluttering never materialised.

Anyon, getting the ball to reverse-swing in a hostile spell from the pavilion end, took a low return catch to dismiss Matt Prior and then had Rana Naved caught at slip aiming an expansive drive.

Luke Wright needed treatment after he was hit on the elbow by Anyon but recovered to help Martin-Jenkins put on 21 for the eighth wicket and at least take Sussex past 100.

But wicketkeeper Tony Frost snaffled his fifth catch of the innings when Wright tried to cut against the spin in Alex Loudon's first over and Loudon had Mushtaq Ahmed caught at extra cover in his next.

It was all over at 3.20pm when James Kirtley drove Anyon's slower ball to mid off.

Adams admitted he would have had more confidence had his side had to defend 228 rather than chase them.

"Give Warwickshire credit. We had two teams playing very hard cricket and unfortunately I lost the toss which meant we had to bat last on a wearing wicket," he said.

"Edgbaston is always a difficult place to bat last on. If the situation had been reversed I would have been quite positive about our chances.

"Our mindset was to be positive, it wasn't a pitch to try and survive on. That's what has served us well in the last month and if I have any criticism it's that we didn't set off in pursuit of the target in that manner. We could have taken the game more to them and we needed a good partnership but it didn't happen."

At least by the time relegated Glamorgan come to Hove on Wednesday week he should have experienced opener Ian Ward available after injury while Jason Lewry is hoping to play in the final match.

It could be too little too late, but there are sure to be some twists and turns before the most exciting Championship race for years is settled.