Worcestershire romp home against Sussex with six wickets to spare

Worcestershire (213 and 315-4) beat Sussex (264 and 263) by 6 wickets

Jake Libby overtook David Bedingham to become the leading run-scorer in the LV=Insurance County Championship this summer as Worcestershire chased down a target of 315 against Sussex at New Road.

Libby scored his fourth Championship century of the campaign and overhauled the 945-run tally of Bedingham who was not in action because Durham’s game against Surrey was called off because of covid-19.

He finished unbeaten on 125 and now has a total of 951 runs – and the former Nottinghamshire batsman received excellent support from Jack Haynes, Ben Cox and Brett D’Oliveira as Worcestershire triumphed by six wickets with 24 balls to spare.

Worcestershire picked 20 points to emerge as the early pace-setters in Group Three.

But they were pushed all the way by a young Sussex side containing no capped players and with an average age of 19½ and showing great potential.

Sussex resumed on 199-6 and the last four wickets went down for 64 runs in 15.5 overs.

Adam Finch made the first breakthrough when Archie Lenham, nine, went for a pull and top-edged a head-high catch to keeper Cox.

Finch struck again when Jack Carson on seven aimed a blow on the leg side and Josh Baker pulled off a fine low catch after running in from deep square leg.

Dillon Pennington came into the attack and soon accounted for Henry Crocombe,six, who was caught off a leading edge by Ed Barnard at cover.

Dan Ibrahim went within six runs of becoming the youngest century-maker in the history of County Championship cricket before falling to Worcestershire Club Captain, Joe Leach.

The 17-year-old tried to hook Leach but only gloved through to Cox.

When Worcestershire started their reply, Daryl Mitchell and Libby put on 39 until the former on 19 was bowled by a delivery from Crocombe to the last ball before lunch.

Tom Fell, four, survived one chance behind the wicket before he was caught on four of a top edge at mid wicket attempting to pull Crocombe.

Haynes joined Libby and the third wicket pair consolidated Worcestershire’s position.

Libby reached his half century off 121 balls with five fours and Worcestershire went into tea on 129-2, requiring a further 186 off 34 overs in the final session.

An excellent half century was completed by Haynes from 83 deliveries with six boundaries.

But Hudson-Prentice end the partnership on 105 when Haynes was caught and bowled for 62.

Libby went into overdrive with a six and two fours off successive balls from Crocombe – and Cox, promoted up the order, also scored freely.

A single off James Coles took Libby to three figures off 190 balls with one six and eight fours.

Cox (37) holed out to long on off Lenham to end a stand of 86 in 18 overs with Libby.

But D’Oliveira ensured the momentum was maintained and successive sixes off Hudson-Prentice enabled him to complete a 26-ball fifty.