Match Details VS Sussex
Rothesay County Championship Division One: Worcestershire v Sussex
Venue: Visit Worcestershire New Road
Date: Wednesday 24th September
Scheduled start time: 10:30am
A rollercoaster 2025 season will come to a close this week as Worcestershire round off the Rothesay County Championship campaign with a final flourish against Sussex.
In a whirlwind week that saw the club lift it’s first piece of List A silverware since 2007, attentions shift back to red-ball cricket for the last time this summer where the Pears will be looking to end the campaign on a high.
Last Time Out
Jake Libby produced yet another masterclass at Hove, compiling a sublime 167 to give Worcestershire real hope of pulling off a memorable run-chase on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Sussex.
Chasing 361 for victory, Worcestershire were well in the hunt while Libby remained at the crease, but a determined Sussex seam attack eventually sealed a 47-run win late in the evening session.
Libby’s love affair with the 1st Central County Ground continued in style, this was his third century in as many visits, following scores of 215* and 198 in previous years, and while he was at the crease, Worcestershire had genuine belief that they could secure a first red-ball win of the season.
Inside The Camp
Isaac Mohammed’s whirlwind summer could potentially take another exciting turn on Wednesday, with the 17-year-old having been named in the Worcestershire squad for the final Rothesay County Championship clash of the season.
Having been fast tracked into the professional game for the first time during the Vitality T20 Blast competition back in June, a momentous few months have followed for the teenager.
Isaac, instated himself as a regular at the top of the order for the Rapids throughout the T2o competition, before featuring heavily in the early stages of the Metro Bank One Day Cup – with the highly-rated batter going on to represent England U19’s (and score a century opening the batting) in the process.
Not content with resting on any laurels, Isaac says the opportunity to prove himself in the red ball game is one he is itching to grasp with both hands.
“For me, it’s one of those, where at the start of the season, I was just hoping to feature in all formats, wherever that may be.
“So for me, it’s quite a big honour.
“Before the season started, as a family we sat down for dinner, my granddad was saying that ‘he’s going to just play Metro Bank this year’, I was thinking ‘no man, I’m gonna play all three formats’.
“To make that happen and obviously prove that I played all three formats was just big for me.”
The teenage starlet has coped in the fast lane with the upmost professionalism, as the man released from Warwickshire earlier this year to join the Pears, has set about making his own way in the game.
Following a well trodden path by members of his own family, including the the footsteps of uncle, Moeen Ali, the irresistible talent and fearless attitude of the Rapids newly unearthed diamond have put him in-line for a potential first-class debut tomorrow.
The key to his success in the pro game to-date ? Enjoyment!
“There’s been a lot of change. I moved quite a lot, played for a lot of different teams, but for myself, I haven’t really thought about that too much.
“I felt like the environment’s I’ve gone into have been quite positive anyway, wherever I’ve been, all the coaches are backing me, so I haven’t felt that’s been too much of an issue.
“I like playing positive cricket, as I spoke about before. I just try carrying that into any game I’m playing, and hopefully it just goes well for me, it’s all about enjoyment.
“If I’m enjoying it, I feel I’ll do well, so I’m not really thinking about it too much, just hopefully going into it with confidence and I’ll just enjoy myself.”
The Opposition
Last result: Drew v Yorkshire
Table position: Fifth
One to watch: Fynn Hudson-Prentice
The Hove based outfit travel to Visit Worcestershire New Road having enjoyed a relatively successful red-ball season, with the side fifth in Division One heading into the final round.
The bottom-half of the table sees just 10 points separate Sussex in fifth and Durham in ninth, with Wednesday’s visitors still in with a mathematical shout of finishing in the top four of the Rothesay County Championship.
Despite only winning three games this season, a potent bowling attack has seen their side collect a Championship-high 37 bowling points.
Central to the bowling success has been seamer, Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
Across 13 Division one matches, the bowler has collected 27 wickets at an average of 27.22, with his best figures coming against this week’s opponents, when he took 5-40 at Hove back in May.
If the seamer can hit his straps and the rest of the Sussex attack provide suitable assistance, then the last match of 2025 could well be a memorable one for the visitors.
Squad vs Sussex
