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Spinner Saeed Ajmal took 6-124 as Worcestershire climbed out of the Division One relegation zone with a 34-run win over Sussex at Horsham.

After beginning the final day needing a further 320 to win, Sussex looked out of it when they slumped to 52-4.

A stand of 151 for the fifth wicket between Murray Goodwin (122) and Michael Yardy (63) revived their hopes.

But Ajmal and Alan Richardson (4-54) worked their way through the tail to eventually bowl Sussex out for 302.

Worcestershire climbed to seventh after their third win of the season, four points above Yorkshire with a game in hand.

They might have expected to complete their win more quickly after taking three wickets inside the first hour.

But Goodwin, whose century was the 66th first-class ton of his career, and Yardy compiled a brilliant partnership to give their side hope of winning the game themselves.

It was finally broken when Ajmal got a ball to turn and bounce to take Yardy's inside edge and then pad to loop a catch to short leg.

Richardson then struck the crucial breakthrough when he won an lbw decision against Goodwin after beating him with an off cutter, before wrapping it up when last man James Anyon edged to first slip.