But that's only if they can first beat Worcestershire tomorrow.

The Rose Bowl outfit currently lead the division one table with nine points and could be sitting pretty with 11 at the end of tomorrow's play.

But Nottinghamshire still have three games to play, while Sussex have two and both counties could potentially reach 12 points with victories in their remaining fixtures over the next week.

Nottinghamshire travel to Middlesex on Sunday, then host Lancashire on Wednesday, while Sussex entertain Middlesex on Thursday.

But the destiny of the title could go down to wire and the final round of fixtures next Sunday when Nottinghamshire face Sussex at Trent Bridge.

Jimmy Adams said: 'We know that there are plenty of permutations and it's not entirely in our own hands.

'But all we can do is win our remaining game and hope the rest of the results go our way.'

Hampshire's hopes of the title will be effectively over if they suffer defeat to the Royals, with Sussex requiring just one win from their two fixtures.

Sussex have beaten big-hitters Somerset and Lancashire, while also bagging two points for rained-off contests with Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Nottinghamshire opened their bid with three consecutive wins, including one over Hampshire at Trent Bridge. But since then, Chris Read's men have crashed to defeats against Somerset and Durham.