Global traveller Murray Goodwin narrowly missed a century on his debut for Sussex as a rain-battered CricInfo Championship fixture at New Road finally came out of hibernation on the third day.

Starting at 2.45pm and twice interrupted by light showers, the 28-year-old right-hander blitzed a lightweight attack - with the exception of Aussie newcomer Andy Bichel - for an effortless 94 from only 116 balls.

Goodwin, born in the former Rhodesia, groomed in first-class cricket by Western Australia and an international player for Holland and Zimbabwe, hit 17 fours in a destructive innings after Sussex had been put into bat by Graeme Hick.

Any notion that the pitch would help the seamers was quickly destroyed as Goodwin pulled and cut powerfully until he was bowled by Bichel after dominating Sussex's progress to 173 for 3 in 162 minutes.

The wicket was well-deserved reward for the Queenslander, but Worcestershire's other seamers rarely got the ball in the right place to trouble a batsman who appeared to have all the time he wanted for his range of strokes.

Sussex eventually reached 192 for 5 in 49.4 overs, with Tony Cottey playing equally well for 46 from 52 balls, and they were able to cope with any setbacks along the way.

Richard Montgomerie fell at second slip off Chris Liptrot, Chris Adams retired because of a blow on the right thumb, and the Dutch batsman, Bas Zuiderent, was run out by Bichel for a duck on his debut.

But Bichel eventually brought Worcestershire closer to parity with two more wickets. Hick held his second catch in the slips to remove Cottey and Umer Rashid was bowled by Bichel, who finished with 3 for 46 in 17 overs.

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