Skipper Daryl Mitchell says Worcestershire have to win their remaining two matches to secure another season in Division One of the LV = County Championship.
Worcestershire are currently in ninth spot in the table and 26 points behind Somerset and Sussex.
They start their penultimate match of the campaign today against Durham at the ICG Emirates and then end the season at home to Middlesex from September 22 to 25.
Mitchell said: "There is no hiding from the fact we must win our last two matches of the season if we are to remain in Division One.
"Our match at Durham is a cup final and everyone in our squad believes we can pull off a positive result.
"Everyone was pretty down after our defeat against Sussex in such an important game but you have to move on and it’s now all about the Durham game.
"Durham is always a good place to go and play and it is normally a wicket where the ball moves off the seam. You generally get positive results up there and there is everything to play for. We are looking forward to the challenge against a pretty good side.
“Everyone is focused on improving and trying to get their job right for the four days at the Riverside."
Mitchell added: "We are in a tricky situation but we have to believe we can get out of it. If we win our final two games, we have a very good chance of staying up.
“Durham is not an easy place to go and win but you should be able to get 20 wickets in a game and it is a matter of making sure we get more runs than they do.
“We showed at New Road earlier in the season that we could compete for long periods against Durham.
“We now we have to win against Durham and then Middlesex to stay up. It is knockout cricket and there are no second chances.”
Shannon Gabriel is poised to make his debut for the County and Mitchell said: “Shannon gives us another dimension. He is a genuinely fast bowler and we will be looking forward to seeing him in full flow.
“Fast bowling always creates great drama and a little bit of theatre and we are looking forward to him frightening a few of their top-order batsmen as well as their tail-enders.
“He is a 90mph bowler and it is exciting to have someone like him in our side.”
