Dan Worrall demolished Worcestershire as he led Surrey to a fourth win on the trot in Vitality County Championship Division One.
The Australian seamer claimed match figures of ten for 57, spearheading his team’s victory by 281 runs with a day to spare. It left them in a commanding position at the top of the table as they seek a hat-trick of titles.
A green pitch at the Kia Oval, offering generous movement, was tailor-made for Worrall in a match which started alarmingly for Surrey, slumping to 15 for four on the opening morning after being inserted. A fifth-wicket century partnership between Ollie Pope (63) and Dan Lawrence (84) rescued them, Jordan Clark’s 42 the only other score in double-figures as they were dismissed for 213.
But Worrall proved an even harder proposition to face than Worcestershire’s attack and the visitors had slumped to 112 for seven by the end of the day, skipper Brett d’Oliveira (30) and Matthew Waite (35) the chief resistance. Worrall ended the innings for 128 with three wickets in five balls to finish with six for 22.
Surrey built on that lead of 85, captain Rory Burns maintaining his excellent form in making 70 and Jamie Smith stroking a classy 72. It was Lawrence who once more proved an obstacle to the Pears, hitting eight fours in his 87. And all-rounder Clark’s superb season with the bat continued as he cracked 98 in typically aggressive style.
Being bowled out for 427, debutant Yadvinder Singh claiming four for 103, meant Worcestershire required 513 for victory on a pitch still offering regular encouragement.
This time Worrall disposed of four of the top five, three of them caught by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes in a match earning him eight victims, and only some spirited late hitting from Kiwi Nathan Smith (60) and Ben Gibbon (75) lifted the visitors to 231 all out.
Clark paid tribute to Worrall’s performance and overall contribution: “He’s been absolutely fantastic for us again this season.
“His accuracy, skill and precision with the ball makes him a truly brilliant bowler to have in the team.”
Leading by 18 points from Somerset, Surrey conclude the early stage of the Championship programme by taking on Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl from Friday before embarking on their Vitality Blast T20 campaign six days later against the same opponents and at the same ground.
Their chances of success in that competition have been hit by the news that all-rounder Jamie Overton has suffered a stress fracture to the back. It is his third such injury, although director of cricket Alec Stewart said Overton may play at some stage of the Blast solely for his hard-hitting batting.
By Richard Spiller