WORCESTERSHIRE'S last-day victory push was frustrated by Sussex in the drawn Specsavers County Championship Division Two match at Kidderminster.

Sussex newcomer Aaron Thomason, signed from Warwickshire, scored 90 on his first-class debut after coming to the wicket on 314-8 20 minutes before lunch with a lead of 186 and nearly 70 overs remaining.

Thomason batted with authority and shepherded last man Abidine Sakande in adding 82 for the final wicket to take the game away from the hosts.

It was a record 10th-wicket partnership for Sussex in matches against Worcestershire.

Thomason, who played only white-ball cricket during his spell at Edgbaston, was eventually last out bowled by Brett D’Oliveira after hitting four sixes and 11 fours in his 115-ball knock.

He kept the strike so effectively that Sakande (5 not out) faced just 26 balls during a stand spanning 18.5 overs.

The outcome might have been different had Worcestershire wicketkeeper Ben Cox held onto a difficult chance to his left offered by Thomason when on two off Ed Barnard.

The County were left a target of 297 in 40 overs and lost the wickets of Josh Dell (15) and Callum Ferguson (13) in reaching 82-2 before the two sides shook hands with Daryl Mitchell unbeaten on 34.

Sussex had resumed on 236-5 and the hosts made encouraging early progress.

Laurie Evans added only seven more to his overnight 106 after Sussex resumed on 236-5 before he edged Ross Whiteley through to Cox.

It ended a partnership of 61 with David Weise.

The second new ball was due after 13 overs and brought two further breakthroughs.

County captain Joe Leach struck in his second over when Wiese (47) was trapped lbw.

The 300 came up in the 97th over before Chris Jordan (8) also became an lbw victim to Barnard on 314-8.

At that juncture it all pointed towards a potential Worcestershire victory and a further scalp came just after the resumption when Ollie Robinson (23) cut a short ball from Ross Whiteley to backward point.

But Thomason had other ideas and with the support of Sakande ensured that an early finish was the likely outcome.