WORCESTERSHIRE were unable to find the winning runs required in what was a thrilling County Championship contest with Sussex at Hove on Wednesday.

The visitors needed eight runs off the final over but some disciplined bowling from Sussex's Nathan McAndrew sealed a draw for the hosts, with both teams taking five points.

Jake Libby (97) was three runs off another century in the game and Azhar Ali (101) reached three figures, but despite valuable contributions from Jack Haynes (44) and Adam Hose (47), they came up agonisingly short. 

Sussex made a strong start to the final day as Tom Alsop and Jack Carson picked up where they left off at the end of day three. The pair added 51 more runs inside the opening 45 minutes of the morning to stretch their lead past 350, before the visitors finally made the breakthrough.

A brilliant throw in the field from Azhar Ali to bowler Usama Mir ran Jack Carson out for 75 but Alsop went on to complete his century soon after and some quickfire runs from Henry Shipley (28 off 16), the hosts declared on 447/7 with a lead of 385 and 79 overs in which to reach it. 

After a short break, Libby and Roderick came to the crease in a positive fashion, racing along at a decent rate to 57-0 by lunch after 13 overs of the second innings. 

But soon after play resumed, the first-wicket partnership was brought to an end when Roderick was out LBW to Ari Karvelas for 33.

Libby continued to play his shots and reached his half-century off 68 balls - a knock that included nine 4s - before Azhar Ali took the score past the 100 mark. 

Libby thumped Carson down the ground for a huge six and a four in the 24th over and generally, Worcestershire were making good progress in their 386-run chase. 

Azhar Ali was proving to be a useful companion for Libby, who continued to push the score. The pair built a 50-partnership as the day edged towards the tea interval but Libby (97) would fall just short of his century in the 39th over when clipping Carlson to first slip. 

Worcestershire were still under the required run-rate by the time tea approached and they remained just under 200 runs off the total but Jack Haynes scored a quickfire 44 off 54 deliveries in a 86-run partnership with Ali, who went past the 50 mark.

Haynes was LBW to Nathan McAndrew for the third wicket but Adam Hose produced another brilliant innings to put Worcestershire in a winning position. He scored 47 from 40 balls before aiming another big hit at Fynn Hudson-Prentice and being caught behind.

Azhar remained unflustered and produced a cover drive straight out of the coaching manual at Shipley’s expense to move into the 80s.

Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira (3) was caught at mid-wicket off McAndrew at 325-5, but Waite maintained the momentum with 4-6-4 off successive balls from the Australian.

He made 18 off 11 deliveries before pulling Ari Karvelas to deep mid wicket.

Azhar leg glanced the same bowler for four to reach three figures – from 162 balls – but he lost his middle stump to Karvelas after backing away to attempt a big hit in the penultimate over.

McAndrew bowled the final over, and Championship debutant Usama Mir (1) fell from the first ball at deep mid wicket.

Finch and Joe Leach did everything possible to try and engineer a remarkable win, but McAndrew bowled a tight line, and they ended on 381-8.