Libby century not enough as Sussex defeat Worcs

Jake Libby hit 167 as Worcestershire fell short in their chase of Sussex at Hove

Rothesay County Championship Division One, 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day four)

Sussex 284 & 256: Alsop 72, Coles 68; Allison 3-52, Singh 3-58

Worcestershire 180 & 313: Libby 167, Nicholls 34; Karvelas 3-52, Robinson 3-66

Sussex (20 pts) beat Worcestershire (3 pts) by 47 runs

Match scorecard

Sussex's persevering seam attack finally broke Worcestershire's determined resistance – led by Jake Libby's 167 – to claim their second win since promotion back to Division One in the County Championship.

No opposition player loves batting at Hove more than Libby, who has now made the three highest scores of his career at the 1st Central County Ground.

And while he was there to anchor their chase, Worcestershire looked capable of overhauling a target of 361.

But having seen off another testing spell by Ollie Robinson with the new ball, Libby was caught off Robinson's replacement Fynn Hudson-Prentice.

His was the eighth wicket to fall with 75 still needed, and Robinson got belated rewards for an excellent performance when took the last two wickets after tea to seal victory by 47 runs.

There was little assistance in the pitch, even on the fourth day, for Sussex's spinners, so it was left to their seam bowlers – led by the indefatigable Robinson – to take the seven wickets needed at the start of the final day which began with Worcestershire requiring 244.

It was no surprise that Libby offered supreme resistance. He made his career-best 215 in this fixture in 2022 followed by 198 a year later. Here, having resumed on 64, he batted superbly - especially against Robinson, who beat the bat on numerous occasions, regularly challenged the stumps, and could easily have finished with five or six wickets.

During a nine-over spell at the start of the day Robinson thought he had removed Libby on 86 to a catch behind the wicket, but umpire James Middlebrook remained unmoved and shortly before lunch Libby moved to the 18th first-class hundred of his career, from 180 balls.

Hudson-Prentice had picked up nightwatchman Ben Allison in the second over of the day but Sussex only took one more wicket in the morning session when Ethan Brookes played on to Ari Karvelas.

Skipper Brett D'Oliveira helped Libby put on 81 in 22 overs either side of lunch with few alarms, but with the new ball due Tom Clark made an important breakthrough when he bowled D'Oliveira through the gate for 29.

Matthew Waite then gave Libby solid support. They survived another outstanding spell by the luckless Robinson down the slope with Waite batting for an hour before Karvelas tempted him into driving at an outswinger and James Coles took a sharp, low catch at third slip.

Libby still looked as if he could still guide Worcestershire home but when Hudson-Prentice replaced Robinson he broke through straight away, tempting Libby into a rare loose drive which Clark, diving to his right, clung onto at second slip.

Libby had batted for six and a half hours, faced 252 balls and hit 22 fours, and departed to a fully deserved ovation from an appreciative Sussex audience.

Fateh Singh was put down behind the stumps by John Simpson off Jack Carson on seven but it did not prove costly. Robinson returned for a third spell after tea and finally got some belated reward when Singh took on a short ball and Tom Haines raced in from the mid-wicket boundary to take a well-judged catch.

Robinson wrapped up victory in emphatic style in his next over when he sent Ben Gibbon's off stump cartwheeling to finish with 3-66 from 29.2 overs.

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Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said:

"It was an outstanding game and I'm delighted we came out on top. I think what it showed is that we have players who will put their hand up and ask, 'What does the team need from me?'

"We saw that with Jack Carson in the first innings with his hundred and today Ollie Robinson bowled with a high level of skill despite an ankle injury and deserved those two late wickets.

"The great thing about playing at Hove is that it's a fantastic cricket wicket and there is something in there for everyone. We're really pleased to win here again, but the challenge to the players now is to do the same in the next three games which are all away from home."

Worcestershire coach Alan Richardson said:

"Four-day cricket is a game of repetition and when you do the basics well as Jake Libby did today and Tommy Taylor did with his seven wickets you will get your rewards.

"We did some good things but against good sides in Division One you have to apply yourselves for long periods of time and we just didn't do that enough, and the deficit in the first innings we had proved too much in the end.

"Jake Libby was absolutely outstanding - the standout innings of the whole game. He showed what a skilful player he is and how well he knows his own game. He should be really proud of that knock."