OPENER Philip Weston scored an unbeaten 78 as Worcestershire made a bold but unsuccessful bid to reach a daunting target of 296 in 49 overs in their rain-ravaged County Championship Division Two draw against Sussex at New Road.

Skipper Graeme Hick could have settled for batting for first-innings bonus points but preferred to open the game up by gambling for victory after the opening two days had been completely washed out. Even when the County needed ten runs an over at the start of the last hour they never gave up but finally had to settle for a draw.

Weston and Vikram Solanki kept going in a breakneck partnership of 56 only for the objective to fade into the distance when Solanki was bowled behind his legs by Umer Rashid for 34.

Nearly nine overs were unused when the County closed on 188-4 at 5.30pm on Saturday after losing some early impetus as soon as Robin Martin-Jenkins joined the Sussex attack.

The all-rounder ended an opening stand of 43 when holding a catch from Anurag Singh (20) in his first over and then succeeded in pegging back Hick as the New Road skipper put on 56 in 16 overs with Weston.

Hick survived a sharp chance at second slip and reached 31 before slicing a catch to cover.

Andy Bichel was then beginning to justify his promotion up the order when he was bowled for 15 to supplement Martin-Jenkins' final return of 3-50.

The rain-ravaged match had been given a kiss of life by three declarations on Saturday.

Sussex advanced from their overnight 192-5 to reach 255-7, the County replied with 14-1 and the visitors went in again for 54-2.

The rapid sequence of events allowed pace ace Bichel to equal the performance of Australian predecessor Glenn McGrath last year in taking five wickets in his first home Championship appearance for Worcestershire.

He had Martin-Jenkins caught behind for 26 as Sussex achieved their target of two batting bonus points thanks to a debut unbeaten 25 by wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

Bichel then ripped out Richard Montgomerie's off stump with his second ball in Sussex's second innings but Murray Goodwin successfully led the chase for quick runs in the absence of Chris Adams with a broken thumb.

The Zimbabwean stroke-maker hit seven fours and a six in adding an undefeated 42 to his brilliant 94 on Friday.