AS the Pro40 League trophy was presented to the bug-eyed and delirious Sussex players in front of them, the forlorn looks of the Notts players up on the pavilion balcony said it all.

It was one of those moments that told you infinitely more about how a totally shattered Outlaws team felt than any words ever could.

Skipper Chris Read did his best to describe the mood in the camp by saying he was 'shell-shocked' at what had just unfolded – and that was perhaps as good a description as any.

But how can you explain your emotions after a longed-for first one-day trophy triumph in 17 years is snatched away on the very last ball of the game?

With just shy of ten overs to go, Notts weren't just in control of the match, they were totally dominant.

So much in the ascendancy were the hosts, having reduced their opponents to 130-8 in reply to 226-6, that any self-respecting bookie would have stopped taking bets on them to win.

But you can never write off anything in sport until the final result has been sealed – especially against such a resilient team as Sussex.

They showed the kind of fightback you would struggle to emulate playing Brian Lara Cricket on your PlayStation. It really was fantasy stuff.

For all the clatter of wickets – Sussex lost six in 43 balls as spinners Samit Patel (3-36) and Graeme Swann (3-33) ran riot – the one thing the South Coast side did still have was Murray Goodwin at the crease.

While almost everyone else thought the game was over as a contest, the Zimbabwean clearly had other ideas and in Mohammad Sami found an inspirational partner.

At a start, the pair's bashing of the boundary board seemed like late but fleeting resistance.

But as the partnership sped past 50, it began to dawn on many in the 4,735 crowd that they could be about to witness something special.

By the time the target had been reduced to 41 from four overs, nerves were jangling all round Trent Bridge.

That feeling intensified when Charlie Shreck ran in to bowl the final six deliveries with 16 still needed.

Runs came steadily throughout the over and a streaky edge from Sami proved crucial.

But still Sussex needed a boundary from the last ball for a sensational success as Goodwin took guard.

Shreck pounded in and bowled what was a thoroughly respectable delivery. Goodwin stepped back, almost onto his stumps, and swung hard and true.

As the ball hurtled up in the air it seemed to take an age to come down but when it did it dropped over the long-on rope and sparked wild Sussex celebrations.

Goodwin had smashed 87 not out from 64 balls including six boundaries and three sixes. Sami, whose contribution was equally as important, hammered 32 not out from 25 balls with two fours and a six.

Their unbroken ninth-wicket partnership was worth 99 in ten overs and has to rate as one of the best against-the-odds chases in the history of one-day cricket.

Was it just fantastic batting or was there anything Notts could have done differently? That is hard to say.

But you can bet you bottom dollar director of cricket Mick Newell did not get much sleep last night pondering that question.

One thing that might cross his mind is that Shreck was left with the final over even though he rarely bowls at the death in one-day games.

In truth, though, with Goodwin in such imperious form, it is difficult to see how anyone could have done much better.

The Outlaws could not have done much more with the bat, in stark contrast to their collapse under the lights against Lancashire Lightning on Wednesday.

They were reduced to 19-2, but Samit Patel, with 78 from 83 balls, was in excellent nick along with Ashwell Prince (33).

They put on 82 in 16 overs and their work was not wasted as Read (31 not out) and Andre Adams (16 not out) added late order runs, including 26 from the final two overs of the innings. Alas, it was to prove not quite enough.

While it is going to be almost impossible to push such a crushing blow to the back of their thoughts, that is exactly what Notts now have to do.

What Notts can affect is the outcome of their two crucial County Championship Division One games to come.

Going into Wednesday's penultimate game of the campaign with already-relegated Surrey at the Oval, Newell's side are only four points off the summit with a decent chance of repeating their title victory of 2005.

And if Notts can pull that off this particular setback will soon be forgotten.