Head Coach Alex Gidman was full of praise for centurion Jake Libby for helping Worcestershire chase down a 315 target against Sussex and said: “he is getting better and better.”
Libby struck an unbeaten 125 off 224 balls and is now the leading scorer in the 2021 LV=Insurance County Championship.
He needs just 49 more runs to become the first player to reach the 1,000 mark this summer.
Gidman said: “He has had an outstanding season. He has been great for us since he joined us, so looking forward to what more he can continue to do for us, not just this season but for years to come, having just signed a new contract with us.
“He is a great guy to have within the group, and very level-headed, and adds a huge amount on and off the pitch.
“Jake is a class act and just getting better and better.”
Libby was given excellent support by Jack Haynes (62), Ben Cox (37) and then a 26-ball half-century from Brett D’Oliveira as Worcestershire won with four overs to spare.
Gidman said: “Obviously really pleased for the lads to get the victory and for the Club to get the victory.
“It’s been a little while since we played Championship cricket, and delighted for everyone that we got that over the line.
“A good game of cricket and full credit to Sussex. They have some extremely talented and very good young players. They were really competitive, which made for a really good game.
“It ebbed and flowed. We had opportunities to press home our advantage a little bit more than we did at times but again, credit to Sussex for pulling us back, and equally, they will probably feel the same.
“It was a great cricket wicket and credit to Tim Packwood (Head Groundsmen) and the ground-staff, and thankfully, the light improved enough for us to complete the game.
“We felt throughout the whole game it was a new ball wicket, and it was challenging for both teams.
“It was really hard work, and I was quite grateful that they couldn’t have a second new ball today. That could have been telling if that had been part of the plan.
“Jake constructed the chase really, really well, the tempo was superb, and he understood and got the timing right as to when to just put a bit more pressure on them, and a couple of guys played extremely well around him.
“Jack (Haynes) was superb and Brett (D’Oliveira) there at the end, a little cameo which we always knew we would probably need at some stage.
“I just thought they showed real maturity and good experience and real good quality and composure to get us over the line.”
Ben Cox was promoted to number five and provided the ideal foil to Libby.
Gidman said: “It was Joe (Leach’s) idea. We felt it was the right thing to do, just to change it, different angles, different type of approach with the spinners on as well.
“Ben is a good player of spin and runs hard between the wickets. It was something that worked, another good partnership and just set it up for Brett to come and finish it off like he did.
