WORCESTERSHIRE slipped back into the LV= County Championship Division One relegation zone after Nottinghamshire leapfrogged them by winning at Trent Bridge.

Notts eased off the foot of the table thanks to a 113-run victory to move 13 points ahead of the County with Hampshire five adrift at the bottom.

Set 324 to win a Championship game for only the second time this summer, Worcestershire looked the most likely victors when Daryl Mitchell and Joe Clarke took the visitors to 175-3 midway through the afternoon session.

However, despite the absence of injured seamer Luke Fletcher and Andy Carter bowling with an abdominal strain, the hosts eventually dismissed Worcestershire for 210.

The visitors' last seven wickets fell for just 35 runs with Carter taking 4-46 from 12.4 overs, including three for the loss of just six runs in 3.4 overs.

There was huge disappointment among the Worcestershire players, who had dominated the morning session thanks to captain Mitchell (76) and Tom Fell (58).

The second-wicket pair added 112 in decent time and looked well set until Fell, who reached his 50 off 76 balls, played around a straight delivery from Brett Hutton shortly after lunch.

Clarke (29) followed at 175-3, bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus, and, with Alex Gidman unable to bat having been struck on the head by the former Ashes bowler in the first innings, Worcestershire were effectively four wickets down.

Mitchell reached his half-century off 105 deliveries but Notts bowled with great purpose against the Worcestershire skipper.

He should have been stumped at 139-2 when Samit Patel passed the outside edge but wicketkeeper Chris Read failed to take the chance.

Finally, Patel got his man. Mitchell, who had struggled to pierce the field, top-edged a sweep to square leg, where Carter took a comfortable catch.

With the bit between their teeth, Notts took control.

Ben Cox, who was fortunate to survive on successive occasions when chipping the ball through Read's mid-wicket trap, finally perished for 19.

He was caught by Steven Mullaney with the scoreboard reading 201 and two runs later Carter returned to have Joe Leach (2) snapped up at short leg.

Ed Barnard was bowled by Patel (2-36) two runs later after going 32 balls without scoring before Saeed Ajmal was trapped lbw by Carter for a duck as well.

When Michael Lumb stooped to collect a difficult catch to dismiss Charlie Morris (1), the hosts celebrated only their second four-day win of the summer.

Worcestershire Rapids play at Notts Outlaws in the NatWest T20 Blast tomorrow night (6.30pm).