Sussex sweep home

Mushtaq Ahmed removes Richard Jones en route to match figures of 13-225

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Mushtaq Ahmed was yet again the impetus as Sussex took a giant step closer to a second successive LV County Championship title by wrapping up an innings victory over Worcestershire.

Moeen Ali (85) and Gareth Batty (84) each threatened to make Sussex work much harder than anticipated - but Mushtaq eventually removed both on the way to match figures of 13-225.

Worcestershire were bowled out for 305 in their second innings, losing by an innings and 14 runs and leaving Sussex waiting on news of Lancashire’s unlikely run-chase against Surrey before they could properly celebrate a third title in five seasons.

It was Mushtaq who broke the sixth-wicket stand of 118 between Worcestershire captain Batty and Moeen.

But even after left-handed opener Moeen had gone for a career-best - bowled sweeping at a leg-break - Batty continued to counter-attack.

Long-relegated Worcestershire, bottom of Division One, were narrowing the margin - having followed on in mid-afternoon on Friday.

The universal supposition that Sussex would be celebrating the title again some time on Saturday was based on the delivery of two long odds-on probabilities.

Robin Martin-Jenkins celebrates the wicket of Kabir Ali as Sussex scent victory

The completion of their victory and Lancashire’s failure to pull off a record last-innings feat at the Brit Oval were considered merely a matter of time.

After half an hour at each venue, some opinions were beginning to be revised, but the wicket of Moeen for Sussex at Hove was quickly followed by one for Surrey against Lancashire, and the consensus was restored.

No one, however, appeared to have told Batty. The Yorkshireman had brought up his century partnership with Moeen by hitting Mushtaq for a very confident six over long-off - and soon afterwards reached his own 50 with seven fours from 75 balls.

His number one target continued to be Mushtaq, who remained Sussex’s most likely ‘finisher’.

But Batty was joined by Kabir Ali - on a pitch described as ‘dead’ by Sussex coach Mark Robinson - and went on to a season’s best as Worcestershire continued to frustrate their hosts.

Robin Martin-Jenkins broke the last partnership which seemed capable of making a significant difference to the outcome, Kabir bowled leg stump trying to slog him skywards.

When Batty then charged Mushtaq, in pursuit of his hundred batting with the tail, he presented the leg-spinner with his first wicket of the match from the Cromwell Road end - Andrew Hodd completing a simple stumping.

Mushtaq subsequently made short work of Richard Jones, snapped up at slip by Chris Adams, and had last man Nadeem Malik lbw to take his season’s tally to 90 wickets.