Ajmal Shahzad bowled Sussex to a brilliant 61-run victory against Worcestershire on his home debut.

Shahzad took career-best figures of 5-46 as Worcestershire collapsed from 47-0 overnight to 185 all out on the final day at Hove.

It was the winter recruit from Nottinghamshire’s first five-wicket haul since 2011 and only the third of his career in the County Championship.

Sussex now head to Durham on Sunday full of confidence having won their opening two games in division one despite missing a number of key players.

Worcestershire had begun the final day as slight favourites – needing 200 runs with ten wickets in hand – but suffered their first setback in the fourth over of the day when Steve Magoffin trapped Daryl Mitchell lbw for 21.

Shahzad then firmly swung the match in Sussex’s favour with three quick wickets as Worcestershire crashed from 57-0 to 69-4.

The former England seamer produced a brilliant yorker to bowl first innings centurion Richard Oliver for 27 before removing Alex Gidman and Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the space of three balls.

Shahzad was replaced by Matt Hobden after a spell of 3-19 from seven overs and the youngster put Worcestershire further in trouble by pinning Alex Kervezee lbw for seven.

An excellent morning for Sussex continued when Ashar Zaidi beat the defences of Tom Fell to have him lbw for 21 while Shahzad returned to the attack to demolish Gareth Andrew’s stumps for seven.

Worcestershire’s slim hopes of recovery were shattered when Magoffin removed Jack Shantry with the fourth ball after lunch.

Shahzad completed his five-wicket haul when he dismissed Sachithra Senanayake for one – one of five players to fall lbw in Worcestershire’s second innings.

Ben Cox (48 not out) and Charles Morris put on 51 for the final wicket to frustrate Sussex until Luke Wells sealed victory by having Morris caught at slip by Ed Joyce for 24.