WORCESTERSHIRE’S promotion hopes were hit as their NatWest T20 Blast woes transferred into Specsavers County Championship Division Two.

Steve Rhodes’ side suffered a nine-wicket New Road hammering inside three days against Sussex who completed a season’s double over their high-flying rivals.

Sussex are now in the thick of the promotion chase after making the hosts follow on 162 behind and then bowling them out again for 170.

David Wiese took the first three wickets and Jofra Archer blitzed the lower order with three dismissals in five balls.

The visitors lost Luke Wells in clearing off nine runs for a nine-wicket victory which was their fourth win in five games.

Second-placed Worcestershire have hit the buffers. After starting the season with four victories they have won only one of the last six.

Momentum was first surrendered with an innings defeat at Hove in June and there was never much chance they would turn the tables at New Road after conceding a first-innings total of 430.

A 90-minute rain delay on the third day was scant inconvenience for Sussex.

Chris Jordan and Wiese took the last two first-innings wickets, dismissing the County for 268 despite an attractive 65 not out by Ed Barnard.

The all-rounder hit nine fours and a six which completed his third half-century of the season in Championship cricket.

Worcestershire were unable to negotiate the new-ball period in their second innings.

By the 14th over they lost three of their top four with the wickets all falling to Wiese at a personal cost of 18 runs.

The South African first rattled the hosts in the space of three balls when Brett D’Oliveira was missed at third slip before Daryl Mitchell (6) survived an lbw appeal and was then bowled.

The out-of-form Tom Fell (0) then edged to second slip for Harry Finch’s sixth catch of the match.

Wiese got the big wicket when bowling Joe Clarke (14).

Stuart Whittingham took over from the Diglis End and in successive overs George Rhodes (9) was caught behind and D’Oliviera (28) given out lbw.

For an hour after tea all was quiet as Ben Cox and Barnard again provided some much-needed application but a partnership of 44 was the calm before Archer stoked up his storm with two ducks.

With Cox lbw for 28 Joe Leach immediately edged to Jordan at first slip and John Hastings, batting with a runner because of a foot injury, lasted for only three balls before giving the bowler a straightforward catch.

With the light fading Sussex switched to Danny Briggs to take the last two wickets.

Josh Tongue was attempting to sweep the left-arm spinner when he went lbw for 16 and Barnard (46) had 111 runs in the match when caught at long-on off Stiaan van Zyl.