James Kirtley may have to wait a bit longer to make his long-awaited return to Sussex's Championship side.

The county are set to name an unchanged team for tomorrow's game against champions Nottinghamshire at Hove (11am) and that spells more frustration for Kirtley.

Skipper Chris Adams sympathises with his former vice-captain but feels it is unfair to break up the team which recorded back-to-back Championship wins against Yorkshire on Saturday.

Although Kirtley has yet to play any four-day cricket he has featured in two C&G Trophy games and spent more time fine-tuning his remodelled action between stints as 12th man at Headingley last week.

Adams said: "It's difficult to change a winning team and that makes it tough for James but he understands.

"The side has a good balance at the moment with Matt Prior coming back in and doing so well with the bat against Yorkshire.

"We are in a great position when we can leave a person of James Kirtley's quality out."

Nottinghamshire have made a faltering start to their title defence. Their opener against Yorkshire was a rain-ruined draw and they lost by 60 runs to Warwickshire at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Wicketkeeper-batsman David Alleyne got them close with his maiden first-class hundred to add to nine catches but it might not be enough to keep him in the side.

First choice Chris Read is available again after playing for England A against Sri Lanka and is expected to return, although Alleyne has staked a claim to play as a batsman.

He said: "I put in some hard work on my batting in the winter, it seems to be paying off and long may it continue. I hope I've given (coach) Mick Newell something to think about before the Sussex game."

A big bonus for Sussex is the absence of skipper Stephen Fleming from Nottinghamshire's line-up. He does not return until the end of the week after New Zealand's tour to South Africa. The Kiwi left-hander scored hundreds in both games against Sussex last season.

Nottinghamshire coach Newell is aware just how difficult it will be to retain the title.

He said: "Winning it again is a big challenge for us. When you look at the sides who have won back-to-back titles in recent years there aren't that many and you realise just how hard it is."

Sussex (probable): Hopkinson, Montgomerie, Yardy, Goodwin, Adams, Prior, Martin-Jenkins, Wright, Rana Naved, Mushtaq Ahmed, Lewry.

Nottinghamshire (from): Bicknell, Gallian, Warren, Hussey, Smith, Ealham, Read, Alleyne, Swann, Franks, Sidebottom, Harris.

Umpires: Graham Burgess and Rob Bailey.