COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, New Road
Worcestershire v Sussex
11-14 June (1100-1800 BST)
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Worcestershire 288 Sussex 17-0 (Worcs 2pts, Sussex 3pts)

Noffke hit his first half-century in any form of cricket for Worcestershire

Ashley Noffke hit 89 and Ben Smith 80 to give Worcestershire a competitive first innings total in their County Championship clash with Sussex.

Noffke, who made his highest County Championship score, and Smith were the only men to pass 20 as Worcestershire were dismissed for 288 at New Road.

Corey Collymore claimed 3-42 for Sussex, while newly signed leg-spinner Piyush Chawla took 2-89 on debut.

Michael Yardy and Chris Nash survived four overs in reply to close on 17-0.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Worcestershire, without a Championship win this season, soon lost Stephen Moore, trapped leg before by James Kirtley for a duck in only the second over.

Vikram Solanki soon followed, chopping on to his own stumps off Collymore, and the home side lost a third wicket before lunch when the West Indian paceman also accounted for Daryl Mitchell.

Smith, who put on 41 with Mitchell, also lost Moeen Ali before bringing up his 50 off 77 balls, and added 27 with Steven Davies before the wicketkeeper became Chawla's first victim in English cricket, offering a slip catch to Ed Joyce.

Noffke gave Smith valuable support and their stand was worth 58 when Smith was run out 20 short of his first Championship century since July 2006.

But Noffke, who saw Gareth Batty and Kabir Ali both dismissed by Dwayne Smith and Chris Whelan by Collymore, held his nerve and chalked up his first half-century in any form of cricket for Worcestershire before being last man out when he was stumped going down the wicket to Chawla.

Worcestershire's Ben Smith told BBC Hereford and Worcester:

"Getting that close to 300, maybe the bowlers [could have got the extra runs needed].

"But it's very difficult as you can't point fingers at those guys because it is not their job to get the runs.

"But when you are 12 short of another batting point then you are disappointed you didn't get it."

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