WORCESTERSHIRE overcame a five-wicket blast from Chris Rushworth to register a second successive win on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash with Durham at Blackfinch New Road.

Rushworth (5-28) posed all sorts of problems in reducing the hosts to 55-5 in pursuit of a modest 81 target at the start of play.

The 22nd five-wicket haul of his career made for a more nervy morning than the County would have anticipated.

But the sixth-wicket pair of Ross Whiteley (8 not out) and Ben Cox (15no) saw Worcestershire over the finishing line half-an-hour before lunch.

It completed a 23-point return and followed the maximum haul in the innings victory over Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground.

The County again showed their prowess with the ball as Charlie Morris built on his career-best 7-45 in the win over Leicestershire with 6-53 in the first innings against Dutham.

Josh Tongue confirmed his potential in front of England director of cricket Ashley Giles with a five-wicket haul and skipper Joe Leach confirmed his fitness after 11 months out with a stress fracture of the back.

He showed no ill-effects after his lay-off and ended with match figures of 34.5-5-108-6.

With Wayne Parnell back in contention for Monday’s trip to Lancashire after being rested against Durham and England under 19 paceman Dillon Pennington close to fitness, Worcestershire have plenty of depth in their seam bowling department.

Australian batsman Callum Ferguson will also be available next week after missing the Durham game due to a family commitment.

In contrast Durham suffered their third successive defeat and a lack of substantial scores have led to their downfall.

Totals of 171, 235, 224, 189, 273 and 197 have given their bowlers insufficient runs to defend and left them anchored at the bottom of the table with just 11 bonus points.

A target of 150 would have presented a substantial challenge to Worcestershire in overcast conditions with Rushworth asking questions with almost every delivery.

Rushworth was soon into his stride in trapping Daryl Mitchell (9) lbw after he offered no stroke and George Rhodes (0) went for a drive and was bowled.

Josh Dell (4) failed to repeat the heroics of his first-innings half-century on debut and also had his stumps shattered by Rushworth.

First-innings century-maker Riki Wessels was undone by a ball which kept low and castled him for a third-ball duck.

Fell mixed some genuine attacking strokes with fortuitous edges in making 36 off 37 balls with eight fours but he fell lbw before Whiteley and Cox guided the County home.