Sussex 532 Worcs 213 & 190-5: Sussex eye third title in five seasons

However quickly Sussex polish off Worcestershire today – and there is little doubt that they will win this match against the First Division whipping boys – they will then have to wait and watch events unfold some 50 miles north at The Oval.

And the way things have panned out in this soggy summer, this title race will go right to the wire. The ECB is standing by to present the County Championship's Lord's Taverners' Trophy, £100,000 and the Pennant to either Lancashire, Durham or Sussex sometime around 5pm today.

By the time bad light brought a premature close to play here yesterday Sussex had Worcestershire teetering on the brink of defeat, thanks to an efficient, clinical performance as they chased what would be a third title in five seasons.

The bottom side in the First Division require a further 129 runs to avoid an innings defeat and they have only five wickets remaining.

Two crucial spells by Mushtaq, one in each innings, ripped out the heart from the Worcestershire reply. First time around he finished with figures of 6 for 93, including 3 for 4 in seven balls, and the follow-on was enforced with Worcestershire 319 runs adrift.

Three further wickets in 11 balls from the leg-spinner set up Sussex for some dramatics today.