SURREY cemented their place at the top of the Vitality County Championship as they completed an innings and five runs victory over Worcestershire at Visit Worcestershire New Road with more than half a day to spare.
Worcestershire resumed on 207-5 – still needing 71 to avoid an innings defeat – and were bowled out for 273 by the reigning champions.
It was just the tonic that impressive Surrey needed before this Sunday’s top-two meeting with Essex at the Kia Oval.
They produced an all-round professional performance with bat and ball and were back to their ruthless best after a shock innings defeat by Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl.
They batted consistently and had the cream on top in Dan Lawrence’s superb 175 which included what was at that stage the joint most runs conceded in an over – 38 – at the expense of Shoaib Bashir who is on loan from Somerset.
Surrey’s seam attack, despite Dan Worrall’s contribution restricted by an injury niggle, was ruthless in the way it worked its way through the fragile Worcestershire middle order.
In their defence, newly promoted Worcestershire have a lengthy injury list including club captain Brett D’Oliveira and evergreen leader of their attack in Joe Leach.
But, with the exception of hardened openers Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick, the remainder of the front-line batting does not suggest permanence at the crease.
Worcestershire resumed on 207-5 and quickly lost Matthew Waite who aimed to work Sean Abbott on the leg side and was plumb lbw.
Lawrence came into the attack and accounted for Tom Taylor who played back to the spinner and edged through to Surrey skipper Rory Burns at first slip.
The usually fluent Adam Hose put the accent solely on defence and scored seven runs in the first hour.
Jordan Clark picked up his fourth wicket when Ben Allison shouldered arms and was bowled.
The end was close for Worcestershire when Adam Finch went lbw to a ball of full length from Worrall.
But Hose decided to go down with a flourish and struck three fours and a six in an over from Clark.
He then pulled the same bowler for a massive six over deep mid wicket to reach a 121 ball half century.
Clark had his revenge when Hose on 64 attempted a ramp shot and was bowled to give the former Lancashire player his season’s best figures of 5-65.
“I did enjoy myself. Found a bit of rhythm this game and it was a nice performance. I’m happy,” Clark said.
“I had a few niggles early on in the season and the white ball stuff helped me get over that.
“Bowling with that intensity helps you take it into the red ball and I felt good.
“It was a great all-round team performance. Obviously Dan [Lawrence] was outstanding with the bat and put it in with the ball and got it to spit quite a lot at this end and gave the seamers a rest.
“It was a good all-round team performance and happy with that.
“We always expected there to be resistance after making them follow on but going into the pitch was a tactic to use and, as soon as we got the breakthrough, it was back to doing our normal stuff again.”
Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson said: “We were never quite at the races in giving ourselves a chance to compete.
“Surrey played very well, in patches we played well, and played with some great spirit and skill, but that’s not going to be enough to win a four day game of cricket.
“When we conceded 490, on what was a pretty good wicket, it always put us behind.
“We needed a really good effort in the second innings to make sure we weren’t too far behind and we were, and that put a lot of pressure on us in that third innings.
“Dan Lawrence played very well and was very effective. When we won the toss, we didn’t expect them to get 490.
“We didn’t quite bowl as well as we can. That was quite tough when they got 490 and we didn’t quite respond as well as we could.
“Over the last three games, we haven’t done as well. First five games, we got a lot of batting points and played in partnerships.
“We haven’t given ourselves a chances to do that in these last three games.”
