WORCESTERSHIRE slipped to the bottom of the LV= County Championship Division One after a comprehensive innings-and-63-run defeat against fellow strugglers Sussex at New Road.

Victory moved Sussex up into sixth spot — 18 points ahead of second-from-bottom Hampshire. Worcestershire are 13 points adrift of safety and have played a game more than seventh-placed Somerset.

Only a superb hundred by 19-year-old Joe Clarke — his first in the competition — delayed the outcome.

The home side were outplayed in all departments and never recovered from being bowled out for a below-par 210 in their first innings after winning the toss.

They will have to double their win-tally for the season by triumphing in their final two matches away to Durham and at home to Middlesex to have a realistic chance of survival in the top-flight for a second successive season.

England players past and present were chiefly responsible for Sussex’s win with Luke Wright hitting a career-best 226 not out and fit-again Chris Jordan finishing with seven wickets.

Worcestershire resumed on 59-3 and Jordan, their first innings destroyer with 5-68 off 22 overs, quickly broke through when bowling nightwatchman Charlie Morris for 12.

There was then a rain delay which led to the loss of 12 overs, but Sussex spinner Ashar Zaidi quickly made up for lost time by trapping Alex Gidman lbw for six to leave Worcestershire on 83-5.

Jordan struck again in the last over before lunch as Ross Whiteley went lbw for two. More prolonged resistance came during the afternoon session as keeper Ben Cox proved an effective ally to Clarke.

Clarke went to a classy half-century off 90 balls with eight boundaries. It was Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson, after reverting to spin mode, who broke the stand when Cox (31) went for a slog-sweep and was bowled.

Zaidi claimed his third wicket of the innings as Joe Leach (seven) became the fourth lbw victim of the innings and Sussex moved within one wicket of victory when Jack Shantry (13) was also given out lbw.

Clarke, however, had time to reach three figures off 174 balls with his 14th four.

It all ended when Steve Magoffin bowled Ajmal (nine) to leave Clarke unbeaten on 104 out of 237 all out.