Director of cricket Tim Tremlett saw the Sussex batsmen continue to put his Hampshire batsmen to the sword yesterday, before admitting: "We're as good as down."

Sussex opener Richard Montgomerie made a career-best 196 and Matthew Prior a maiden first class hundred off just 105 balls before the home side finally declared after compiling a record 631-5.

It was their highest innings total against Hampshire and, barring a miracle, has ended any hope the visitors had of winning.

Anything less than victory will condemn Hampshire to a second relegation in three years.

They were 69-1 when play was finally abandoned for the day with rain robbing the spectators of 34 overs.

And Tremlett, who is in his fourth championship game as caretaker coach, admitted: "It's going to be very difficult to get a win from here. Realistically, the best we can hope for is a draw and that will obviously not be enough."

Relegation will almost certainly be confirmed either today or tomorrow, five months after the season began with high expectations.

Tremlett earmarked the five-run defeat against Essex Eagles in mid-July as the turning point in a disastrous campaign.

At Southend that day Hampshire were on course for a fourth Norwich Union League win before losing six wickets for 18 runs.

"At that stage we were not doing too badly," he added. "We were in a slightly inflated position in the championship table but that defeat knocked the stuffing out of the team and took them a while to recover, if indeed they have ever recovered."

You could not escape the irony of John Crawley playing for England while Hampshire were toiling in the field at Hove yesterday.

Crawley earned an England recall after a handful of appearances for Hampshire following his signing from Lancashire in March.

As a result he has only played eight of Hampshire's 15 championship games.

"We didn't expect John Crawley to miss so many games and that certainly hasn't helped but at the same time we are delighted for him," added Tremlett.

Hampshire will now try to sign the opening bowler that they failed to bring in last year as well as a top-order batsman.

Shane Warne is also likely to sign as one of two overseas players if he decides to retire from one day international cricket after the World Cup.

"We need to get promotion next season and then make sure we stay in Division 1," added Tremlett.