Sussex v Worcestershire: Day 3

Breaking news is that Matt Prior won't play in the T20 finals, Sussex having agreed to a request from the ECB to rest him. He did have a back spasm but he will be missed at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Reaction to this win on the cricket home page later and I will be hammering away at this laptop again on Saturday for T20 finals.

Sussex 161-2 (29)

Nash could get a hundred here. Another wayward over from Mehraj Ahmed, no third man and 12 runs off the over. He is 77 and Goodwin, who has played two lovely shots through the offside for four, is 14. 51 to win now and nine overs until tea.

WICKET: Sussex 122-2 (24.4)

Joyce is out for 53, trying to clear the mid-wicket boundary with a slog sweep at Batty he got under it and Arif took the catch. Nash has just reached his 50 though and Murray Goodwin (1) has joined him with Nash 52 not out. 90 to win.

Sussex 113-1 (20)

Runs coming quickly now. Joyce had got to 50 from just 65 balls with ten fours and is 52 with Nash 48. Mehraj Ahmed into the attack now with Batty having completed two overs from the sea end. 97 to win but Nash has just been dropped at gully by Batty - absolute knob-ender. He moves to 49.

Sussex 95-1 (16.2)

Big surprise here is that Mason's only bowled four overs. Perhaps his first-innings exertions have taken it out of the 35-year-old. He's still on the field watching Joyce and Nash take full toll of some often wayward bowling by Arif, whom Nash has just swung through mid-wicket and backward of square for successive fours to go to 48. Make that 48 - with a late cut for four. Joyce 34 and Sussex now need 117 and suddenly there is animated chatter in the bleachers again.

Sussex 30-1 (7.4)

So far so good since lunch for Sussex with no alarms. Nash has 14, Joyce 13 and Imran Arif is bowling now from the top end after just four overs by Mason, who may be switching ends.

Afternoon Ryfish. A bit of both really. Arif in particular had a lot of fortune, swinging away and putting the ball where there were no fielders, usually behind Hodd! But Arafat and Wright lost their control and Rayner should have come on a lot earlier. Little stat for you: the last three Worcs wickets have put on a combined 219. And the last thing Sussex needed was to lose Yardy in the last over before lunch.

WICKET: Sussex 10-1 (2.2)

Told you it would be a tricky little session and Sussex have not survived it unscathed as Yardy is caught at leg slip by Solanki. That's wicket No.8 for Mason who was clearly bowling for that. Yardy made 6, Nash is 4 not out. 202 more to win after lunch.

WORCS 235 all out (57.2)

Rayner finishes things off as Davies is caught by Joyce running from slip to point to intercept a big drive which went miles in the air. Last three wickets added 125 in 13 overs and Sussex now need 212 to win when an hour ago they were looking at a target of around 125! 67 overs left today with 3 of them in a tricky spell before lunch.

WICKET: Worcs 226-9 (55.3)

If Sussex lose this match or go down they will look back on the last 45 minutes with some regret. At least the ninth-wicket stand is over as Arif goes for a career-best 35, bowled by Rayner's arm ball playing the only defensive shot of his innings. There is a bit of rough there now for Batty to work with. Davies has gone to 50 off 69 balls (5x4, 2x6) and shepherded the tail really well. A game Sussex were winning easily an hour ago is now very much in the balance.

Worcs 207-8 (53.2)

The wheels are coming off here. In three overs since the eighth wicket 46 runs have been added in three overs. Arif has enjoyed some good fortune but he's now onto 29 after hitting the first ball of this over from Rayner - who has replaced Arafat - for six, mind you it was a horrible full bunger. Arafat replacing Wright at the Cromwell Road end but 101 runs have been scored in the last ten overs.

Worcs 174-8 (51.1)

Now Arif is swinging from the hip. Two fours in that over from Wright which cost 11 runs to take the lead to 150. He is 10 and Davies 34.

WICKET: Worcs 155-8 (48.2)

We've had quite enough of that says Wright as he uproots Mason's middle and off poles with a ball which Mason was trying to work through square. Useful runs and Sussex will fancy their chances of finishing them off pretty soon. Davies (25) joined by Imran Arif.

Worcs 155-7 (48.1)

Mason is frustrating Sussex again. He's just pulled a ball from in front of his eyebrows purveyed by Wright for six and has moved to 28. Stand now worth 45 in just five overs with Davies on 25.

WICKET: Worcs 110-7 (43.2)

Two in two for Corey as Andrew is bowled through the gate for 1. Good prune that. Davies 12 and Matt Mason, who swung from the hip so effectively in the first innings, is with him. The lead is currently 86.

WICKET: Worcs 108-6 (42)

Collymore replaces Arafat and gets Batty with his fifth ball. Batty drove the previous delivery down the ground for four but he's been done lbw by one which jagged back although from side on it looked a touch high to me. Batty could consider himself a little unlucky. Davies 12 and the new batsman is Gareth Andrew.

Worcs 90-5 (38)

Good spell by Arafat and he could have had another wicket there as Batty dissects Hodd and Yardy at slip for four. Neither fielder went for it. Davies on 9, Batty 8.

WICKET: Worcs 75-5 (31.5)

Great start for Sussex as Arafat gets Moeen Ali in his second over, bowled off his pads for 3. That's three wickets now for Arafat and Sussex are on their way to winning this with a day to spare. Davies 2 and Gareth Batty the new batsman. RMJ has opened at the Cromwell Road end.

Good morning and welcome to Hove for the third day of this Championship game between Sussex and Worcestershire.

Four second-innings wickets in the final session yesterday have put Sussex in a good position here with Worcestershire resuming at 10.45am on 71-4, a lead of 47, with Moeen Ali (2) and Steven Davies at the crease.

The pitch is unlikely to deteriorate much so it's going to be hard work to take those six remaining wickets you would have thought, but the feeling around the ground is that Worcestershire might fold quite quickly. Not so sure myself - I still think there will be play here tomorrow.

Anyway, updates throughout the day and don't forget you can contribute your own musings.