Kevin Pietersen pounded a breathtaking 166 as batsmen continued to dominate proceedings at Horsham.

The Notts all-rounder hit four sixes and 17 fours in his 136-ball innings, but was unable to save his side from having to follow-on.

Having lost Guy Welton to leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed for 50, the visitors suffered a double blow when England discard James Kirtley snapped up the wickets of Usman Afzaal and Darren Bicknell to reduce them to 139-4.

But Pietersen's response was to meet the crisis with aggression and he found a willing ally in youngster Bilal Shafayat, who helped add 195 for the fifth wicket.

Mushtaq broke the partnership when Shafayat was lbw for 71 and the Pakistani later wrapped up the innings by tempting Pietersen forward to have him stumped by Tim Ambrose.

His final figures were 6-163 but he was unable to add to his haul before the close as openers Bicknell (61) and Jason Gallian (34) launched the second innings by posting a century stand in 34 overs to the close.

Sussex: R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, P A Cottey, C J Adams (Capt), T R Ambrose, R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J Prior (Wkt), K J Innes, M J G Davis, Mushtaq Ahmed, B V Taylor.

Nottinghamshire: D J Bicknell, G E Welton, J E R Gallian (Capt), U Afzaal, K P Pietersen, B M Shafayat, C M W Read (Wkt), S Elworthy, G J Smith, S C G MacGill, A J Harris.