WORCESTERSHIRE CCC ended a dismal County Championship campaign with a three-wicket defeat against Sussex.
The Pears staged a valiant final day fightback as Sussex reached the required second innings target of 61 with three wickets to spare at New Road.
Sussex bowled out Worcestershire for 123 and 287 after scoring 350 all out in their first innings.
This left the visitors needing just 61 runs for victory although the Pears refused to give up.
The home side took seven wickets before Sussex eventually stumbled to victory.
With the club’s relegation already confirmed, Worcestershire end the campaign bottom of the Division One table with one win from 14 matches.
The Pears made a disastrous start, losing openers Rehaan Edavalath (0) and Jake Libby (0) for ducks in the first over.
And Isaac Mohammed (5) soon followed as Ollie Robinson (6-68) ripped through Worcestershire’s top order.
Only Dan Lategan (41), Matthew Waite (33) and Gareth Roderick (22) managed double figures as Rob Jones (1) and Ethan Brookes (1) both fell to leave the home side on 91-7.
A difficult first innings came to an end in the 35th over as Robinson claimed his sixth scalp of the innings while Jaydev Unadkat (4-43) also impressed with the ball.
Sussex punished the Pears in reply despite the home side making a solid start with the ball, restricting the visitors to 47-3.
Centuries from John Simpson (129 not out) and James Coles (102) helped Sussex reach 350 all out.
Tom Taylor (4-53), Ben Allison (3-104), Waite (2-47) and Ben Gibbon (1-73) took the wickets.
Worcestershire posted a better second innings score as openers Libby (72) and Edavalath (45) shared a 113-run third-wicket stand.
Middle order knocks from Lategan (30), Jones (46), Roderick (27) and Brookes (29) boosted the home side’s total as the Pears reached 287 all out.
Robinson (5-74) starred again with the ball while Unadkat (3-80) took three wickets to leave Sussex with a target of 61 to win.
However, Taylor (4-22), Waite (2-10) and Allison (1-22) all took wickets to leave Sussex in trouble on 59-7.
Robinson (4 not out) scored the winning runs after crucial contributions from Daniel Hughes (16) and Oli Carter (16).
