Opener Jake Libby made a career-best 215 as Worcestershire put themselves in position to push for victory over Sussex and keep their promotion hopes alive in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
Libby’s maiden double century came in a total of 438 for five before Worcestershire declared with a lead of 218 on day three at the 1st Central County Ground, having banked maximum bonus points.
Play didn’t start at Hove until 4.10pm because of rain and 84 overs have been lost in the match so far.
But Worcestershire quickly made up for lost time, with Libby leading the charge as they thrashed 149 in 20 overs against some toothless bowling before the declaration.
Sussex were left with 10 overs to negotiate and they lost skipper Tom Haines for 13 in the penultimate over when he played on to Joe Leach. They closed on 39 for one, still 179 behind.
Sussex had taken the new ball when play eventually began after heavy rain but it was soon being dispatched to all parts by Libby and Jack Haynes.
Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf came in for some harsh treatment, his three overs costing 30 runs including three successive boundaries by Libby which took him past his previous best score of 184.
He added 96 in 22 overs with Jack Haynes, who played on to Brad Currie for 31, but skipper Brett D’Oliveira kept up the momentum when he joined Libby.
The Worcestershire skipper offered a difficult chance off a top-edged pull but Ali Orr, running round the boundary, couldn’t quite hold on as he stepped over the rope. Otherwise, the pair scored at more than seven runs an over even though Sussex had seven fielders on the boundary.
Libby brought up his 200 with a single off James Coles and offered his first chance on 204, but wicketkeeper Oli Carter spilled a straightforward opportunity moving to his right.
Eventually, Libby was dismissed by Coles shaping to cut, having faced 294 balls, hit 25 fours and a six in a highly impressive innings spanning six hours and 38 minutes spread over three days.
It was his team’s second double hundred of this season following Azhar Ali’s 235 against Leicestershire in May and the highest score by a Worcestershire batter against Sussex, beating Graeme Hick’s 186 at Hove in 1991.
The declaration came when Ashraf had D’Oliveira caught behind for 43. His tally, off 38 balls, included two sixes.
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Worcestershire opener Jake Libby said: “It’s always nice to tick off the double hundred so I’m really proud of the achievement.
“I managed to up the tempo at the end and hit some nice shots and we scored quickly so we got some overs at them.
“That last session couldn’t have gone any better for us, especially getting that wicket of Tom Haines which was a bonus for us.
“There’s not much time left in the game but hopefully there’s enough for us to push on and get a result. The key will be the first session tomorrow. Hopefully conditions will offer us something in the first hour.”
Sussex coach James Kirtley said: “It was a disappointing session for us with the ball. We were off our game. We have handed Worcestershire a position which we could have had more control of.
“I was honest with the players – but there is an opportunity to show some resolve tomorrow and try to save the game.
“I thought Ali Orr did well in that little period with the bat and Tom Haines was unlucky. He got a very good ball from Joe Leach.
“We know we’ve got it all to do and we’ve got to show some character and make amends for a couple of poor days with the ball.”
