MUSHTAQ Ahmed was yet again the driving force as Sussex put themselves on the brink of retaining their County Championship title.

After Mushtaq took his match haul to 9-157 - 13 Worcestershire wickets fall-ing on day three at Hove -Sussex knew only an improbable run chase by Lancashire at The Oval could stop them bagging the silverware again as long as they complete their own victory today.

Mushtaq added to his distinctions by getting Graeme Hick out twice on the same day. Only Daryl Mitchell escaped his clutches for long in the first innings, carrying his bat for an admirable 70.

Worcestershire could muster only 213 and, following on 319 runs behind, were 190-5 - thanks largely to Moeen Ali - when bad light brought an early close.

Earlier, Mitchell's laudable efforts could not save a Worcestershire first innings which lost its last five wickets for 16 runs in nine overs as Mushtaq and Jason Lewry upped the ante.

Second time around, Moeen proved to be the Worcester-shire backbone.

Hick counter-attacked Mush-taq in a short spell, but the Pakistani soon had the former England batsman lbw sweeping.

Davies then propped a catch to short-leg for a fourth-ball duck, and Knappett's chosen technique of stretching forward to Mushtaq backfired for the second time when he missed on the defence and lifted his back leg.

Wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd fluffed an opportunity for a second stumping soon afterwards - Moeen surviving on 66 when he missed with a charge at Mushtaq.

With the young left-hander still unbeaten in a stand of 73 with Gareth Batty at stumps, the cost of Hodd's mistake remained an imponderable.