WORCESTERSHIRE were nudged a step nearer to relegation from LV= County Championship Division One after a three-day innings defeat to Sussex at Hove.

Sussex advanced from 325-7 overnight to declare on 420-8 and a first-innings lead of 258 was more than enough as Monty Panesar’s four wickets helped blow the visitors away for 141 in their second innings after the home side claimed the extra half-hour.

Daryl Mitchell’s 48, before being bowled by the England left-arm spinner, was a lone hand as the innings was ended nine wickets down, with James Cameron unable to return after being struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Steve Magoffin.

After Magoffin and James Anyon had made inroads with the new ball, Worcestershire were sent hurtling to defeat by an excellent spell in the final session from Panesar.

He took 4-23 from 23 overs, 13 of which were maidens, as Worcestershire lost their last seven wickets for 54 runs.

A pitch offering excellent carry for the seamers and bounce for Panesar was superbly exploited by the Sussex attack.

Anyon picked up Phil Hughes when the left-hander gloved a lifter while Magoffin bowled Vikram Solanki for the second time in the match to give them the perfect start.

Moeen Ali and skipper Mitchell held Sussex up with a stand of 55 for the third wicket but when Magoffin returned to the attack to have Ali well caught by Mike Yardy at second slip, the innings went into swift and steep decline.

At one stage Panesar bowled six successive maidens and also picked up the wickets of Matt Pardoe and Gareth Andrew.

Amjad Khan then came into the attack to trap Richard Jones leg before while Panesar ended Mitchell’s resistance when a quicker ball uprooted his middle and off stumps before Ben Scott was held at silly point.

It was left to Amjad to seal the win which lifted Sussex into third place when he had Jack Shantry caught at slip by Luke Wells.

Earlier, Sussex’s tail added 95 runs in 18 overs before they declared. The only Sussex wicket to fall went to veteran seamer Alan Richardson, who claimed his fifth wicket of the innings.