Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire: Daryl Mitchell century leads Worcs to win

Worcestershire opener Daryl Mitchell has now scored 1,056 County Championship runs in 2017

Worcestershire took a big step towards Division Two promotion and ended Nottinghamshire's unbeaten record with an eight-wicket win at Trent Bridge.

The visitors began day four on 123-2, needing another 103 for victory.

Opener Daryl Mitchell, on 63 overnight, reached his sixth County Championship hundred of the season to finish unbeaten on 139 as Worcestershire won before lunch, on 229-2.

One win from Worcestershire's final two matches should seal promotion.

Following a poor weather forecast, former Pears captain Mitchell and Joe Clarke (28 not out) took the attack to the Notts bowlers on the final morning, as they knocked off the remaining runs in just over an hour.

Worcestershire now hold a 36-point lead over both Sussex and Northamptonshire, who won at Hove by six wickets on Friday.

Leaders Nottinghamshire, who took just three points from the fixture, are still favourites for the title as they have a 15-point advantage over Worcestershire.

Mitchell's 30th first-class century helped him become the Englishman to reach 1,000 runs in first-class cricket this season - and only the second overall, after Surrey's Kumar Sangakkara.

Worcestershire opener Daryl Mitchell told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"It's certainly my best hundred of the summer, possibly my best ever in those tough circumstances. They have a really good attack, on a spicy wicket and the state of the game as well.

"It was a massive game for us so to get us over the line is very pleasing. It always means more when you win a game and are still there at the end.

"We had a good chat beforehand, this morning, and we felt that we'd earned the right to be a bit more positive, having done the hard work yesterday. Obviously, at the start the ball was 40 overs old, so it was get in and play some shots, because we were also aware there might be a bit of weather around later."

Notts captain Chris Read told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"It wasn't the ending to the game that we desired and I think all through the four days we have been out-played, so that is a little bit disappointing and leaves us with plenty of work to go on for the next couple of games.

"I don't think we coped on the first day as well as we have done all year, we know here that under leaden skies there can be movement through the air and off the pitch.

"For the majority of this season we have dealt with that better than the opposition and I felt that in both innings we didn't deal with it as well as we should have done."

On the guard of honour on the third day to mark his final match at Trent Bridge:

"It was unexpected but very much appreciated. It was a little bit embarrassing walking out but I was just desperate not to get out first ball, so it was nice to get going and share a decent partnership with Jake Ball."