[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Day Three

Morning: No play possible due to rain.

Afternoon: No play possible due to rain.

Evening: With most of the day washed out, the action finally began at 4pm with Worcestershire facing the second new ball, and runs were the order of the day. Jake Libby brought up his 150 immediately, and together with Jack Haynes managed to motor along at above seven an over until the latter was bowled for 31. But Libby had by that point surpassed his career-best score of 184 against Glamorgan in the Covid summer, and the Sussex attack was slowly going to pieces as the Pears punished some very average bowling. Faheem Ashraf in particular had another rough ride, and Henry Crocombe was pulled for two ground-exiting sixes in an over by Brett D'Oliveira; maximum batting points were achieved with fifteen overs to spare, Libby nudged his way to a career-first double century, and sent a short wide ball from Ashraf sailing into the stands over extra cover before he was finally bowled for 214 by James Coles. The declaration came on 438-5, with a first-innings lead of 218, and just when it looked like the Sussex openers might navigate the last ten overs of the day in safety, Joe Leach struck in the penultimate over to beat the defence of Tom Haines and remove the off stump for 13. The final over was entrusted to the returning Josh Tongue, and the young man produced two bouncers of startling pace and ferocity from the Cromwell Road End to shake up Ali Orr and give the opener an uneasy night's sleep, as Sussex closed on 39-1, trailing by 179.