By Oliver Brett

Sussex have an eight point lead over Lancashire with the final round of matches in the County Championship starting on Wednesday.

Any sort of win for the Hove-based team at Nottingham will give them a second pennant in four years.

Lancashire need a 22-point win away at Hampshire - and Sussex to draw or lose.

Here, we look at the two title challengers' captains and analyse their batting and bowling strengths.

CAPTAINS

Chris Adams (Sussex) Age: 36

As he is fond of saying, has been in the job since Tony Blair became prime minister, so this is his 10th season at the helm now.

Born in Derbyshire, the county he played for until 1997, his combative nature has earned him the nickname "Grizzly".

Adams' brief England career never took off, but he needs just 41 runs for 18,000 in first-class cricket.

Was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2004, a year after taking Sussex to their first Championship pennant.

What he says of Lancashire's captain: "Mark Chilton is a young captain who is getting stronger and stronger.

"I think he has done an outstanding job. If Lancashire win the Championship you won't hear any complaints from me."

Mark Chilton (Lancashire) Age: 29

Sheffield-born but a wearer of the Red Rose, Chilton crossed the Pennines in the opposite direction to the er... official England captain Michael Vaughan.

Like Vaughan, Chilton is an astute observer of the game and a clean driver of a cricket ball when on top of his game.

"Chilly" followed Michael Atherton and John Crawley through Manchester Grammar School , and he cites Crawley as a "big influence on his batting".

Given the job following Lancashire's troubled season in 2004 when Warren Hegg resigned, he immediately hauled the team back into Division One.

What he says of Sussex's captain: "Sussex beat us in the C&G Final and the way they fought back that day typified the team spirit they have.

"I know that Grizzly's captaincy is one of the main reasons for that."

BATTING

Sussex

Zimbabwe-born Murray Goodwin had a stellar year when Sussex won in 2003 and he has added six centuries in some terrific performances in the Championship this year.

Adams averages nearly 50 this season and left-hander Michael Yardy - now a member of England's one-day squad - has impressed as well.

Lancashire

Brad Hodge's injury early in the season deprived Lancashire of their "gun" batsman and his replacement Nathan Astle has generally struggled.

Attacking stroke-players Mal Loye and Stuart Law have both produced some excellent innings - and they must fire at the sometimes awkward Rose Bowl.

BOWLING

Sussex

Mushtaq Ahmed took 100 wickets in 2003 - the first bowler in five years to do so - and a haul off 11 at Trent Bridge will give him another rare century.

Sussex fans love him so much they have petitioned Brighton and Hove council to name a bus after him, where he would follow in the footsteps of Sir Lawrence Olivier and Norman "Fatboy Slim" Cook.

Naved-ul-Hasan, a gifted seamer, returns for the final match. He took 34 wickets at 15.29 early in the season before injury and a call-up to Pakistan's one-day squad.

Lancashire

Despite so many injury problems and England call-ups within their ranks, Lancashire's seamers have responded magnificently this season.

Some of their fans will mutter about why Sajid Mahmood needs to be rested (on England's orders of course), and frustratingly James Anderson is not quite ready to be unleashed at full tilt.