Highlights from day three
Ashwell Prince continued his outstanding form with a knock of 85 as Lancashire set up a potentially nail-biting final day to their LV= County Championship Division One match against Sussex at Hove.
The 37-year-old South African, who is due to retire at the end of the season, passed the 50 mark for the sixth time this season.
However, Lancashire's hopes of pressing for the victory that would keep their First Division survival hopes alive suffered a blow in the penultimate over when Prince, who had faced 162 balls and hit just four boundaries in a watchful innings, was held at short leg off left-arm spinner Ashar Zaidi.
Prince added 91 in 35 overs for the fourth wicket with Steven Croft, with Lancashire reaching stumps on 203 for four - a lead of 89.
Sussex earlier established a first-innings advantage of 114 after they were bowled out on the stroke of lunch for 434, and Lancashire lost three wickets in clearing their arrears.
Chris Jordan, who was awarded his first ECB central contract earlier in the day, had opener Paul Horton caught at third man off a mistimed upper cut, while Steve Magoffin picked up fellow Australian Usman Khawaja thanks to a superb catch at second slip by Mike Yardy.
And that's close! Lancs are 89 ahead at 203-4 from 68 overs. Croft 34, Buttler 0. Interesting final day ahead.
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 11, 2014
Lancashire were still three runs behind when Karl Brown was caught behind as Zaidi got one to turn out of the rough, but once the new ball lost its hardness batting became a bit easier, although Jordan bowled with consistent hostility in a lively spell after tea.
Prince and Croft batted with patience and determination to edge the visitors into the lead before Prince fell.
Earlier, Zaidi passed 50 in first-class cricket for the first time since 2009 as he and Jordan put on 104 for Sussex's eighth wicket.
Congratulations to @josbuttler who is one of 6 players offered a central contract for the first time by the ECB http://t.co/RfOKY0OVvV
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 11, 2014
Zaidi reached his half-century by hoisting Simon Kerrigan over long off for six and he also hit five boundaries. Jordan also tried to play positively but it was his downfall when he attempted to steal a second run to long leg and was beaten by Tom Smith's accurate return.
Zaidi eventually holed out to deep midwicket and slow left-armer Kerrigan picked up his third victim when last man Lewis Hatchett was taken at bat-pad.
With Durham in control of their game against Middlesex at Lord's, Lancashire need a win to set up a potential final week survival shootout with the London club.
It could be that their hopes of doing so rest on the timing of Glen Chapple's declaration on the final day, or how Sussex make use of the second new ball, which is due in 12 overs.
WICKET..Hatchett turns Kerrigan to short leg and Sussex are ALL OUT for 434. That'll be LUNCH #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 11, 2014
Prince believes Lancashire have given themselves a good platform to push for victory, despite the loss of his wicket late in the day.
He said: "We had a chat at tea-time and said that if we could bat at three runs an over for the rest of the day, we would have close to a 100 lead.
"We knew that if we had five or six wickets in hand tomorrow, we'd be able to get a score on the board to give us a chance of going for the victory.
"We could have gone and thrown caution to the wind, but we lost a few wickets in the first innings trying to do that.
"I think the way we played it panned out perfectly for us. We have wickets in hand and attacking players at the crease in Steven Croft and Jos Buttler.
"Hopefully we can get going tomorrow, get close to 250 and get our bowlers going. But we can't really go from ball one. We have to play it nicely and get ourselves in.
"We have 10 or 12 overs until the new ball, so that will give them time to settle in before absorbing again through the new ball.
"We don't want to get bowled out. We want to get into a position where we can attack and get as many runs as possible."