Ashley Noffke and Ben Smith hit half centuries to boost Worcestershire's fortunes in the LV County Championship match against Sussex at New Road.

Australian Noffke led the way with 89 while Smith made 80 before the hosts were bowled out for 288 in 89.3 overs with paceman Corey Collymore taking three for 42.

Sussex, who like bottom-of-the-table Worcestershire are still seeking their first Division One win of the season, were 17 for none off four overs in reply at stumps.

Smith was run out in sight of collecting his first Championship century since July 2006, while Noffke notched his highest score in the competition.

His previous best had been 76 for Middlesex against Worcestershire at New Road in 2002.

Vikram Solanki's men, after winning the toss, soon suffered a setback when Stephen Moore was dismissed in the second over for a duck.

He lunged forward at James Kirtley's second delivery and was trapped lbw to leave his tally for the season to a meagre 91 in seven Championship innings.

It again emphasised the 28-year-old's desperate struggle to recapture the kind of free-scoring form he produced last year when he stacked up 1,451 first-class runs.

Solanki departed shortly afterwards when he chopped a Collymore delivery onto his stumps for 15, two runs short of reaching 500 first-class runs for the season.

Daryl Mitchell and Smith then joined forces to nudge Worcestershire past the 50 mark which took an hour and 24 minutes to achieve.

Opener Mitchell, however, fell shortly after lunch when he was bowled around his legs by Collymore for a painstaking 19 off 77 balls.

He had put on 41 in 16 overs with Smith who saw Moeen Ali caught behind by wicketkeeper Andy Hodd off Robin Martin-Jenkins before registering his first Championship half century of the season. It contained eight fours off 77 balls.

His partnership with Steve Davies, however, yielded only 27 before the New Road wicketkeeper offered a slip catch to Ed Joyce off Indian leg spinner Piyush Chawla who is making his Sussex debut.

Smith then forged a valuable partnership with Noffke which resulted in the duo completing a half century stand in the space of 12 overs.

They moved it on to 58 in 14 overs before non-striker Smith was run out by Kirtley when he was unable to scramble back after darting off for a single after Noffke had pushed Yardy to mid-on. He had collected 12 fours off 128 balls.

Gareth Batty, on nought, survived a dropped slip catch to Joyce off Dwayne Smith before Noffke chalked up his first 50 for Worcestershire in any form of cricket with two sixes and six fours off 65 balls.

Batty took advantage of his let-off to make 17 before falling to Smith and making way for Kabir Ali who is back in action for the first time since April 19 following a tear to his left hamstring.

He chipped in with 10 before becoming a second victim for economical medium pacer Smith while Chris Whelan made 19 before falling to Collymore.

Noffke was last out when he was stumped going down the wicket to Chawla after striking two sixes and nine fours off 137 balls.