Tom Fell produced another excellent innings for Worcestershire on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship clash with champions-in-waiting Surrey at the Kia Oval.
Fell moved onto a season’s best 89 from 134 balls with 13 boundaries before he was bowled by the final ball before tea from Morne Morkel.
It followed on from his 88 in the reverse fixture at the Kia Oval and his 69 in the first innings here.
His efforts enabled Worcestershire to reach 203 all out mid-way through the final session to leave Surrey a 272 target.
By the close Surrey had reached 70-0.
Surrey were bowled out for 268 this morning – a first innings deficit of 68 – after an excellent performance by the Worcestershire attack.
The visitors had needed to secure maximum batting points to lift the title but, after resuming on 213-6, they were bowled out for the addition of another 55 runs.
Josh Tongue made the first breakthrough when Morne Morkel (16) shouldered arms and was bowled.
But it was Pennington who struck next as Ben Foakes (13) – batting down the order because of illness – edged to Fell in the gulley region.
Opener Rory Burns fine knock ended on 122 when he went for a pull against Ed Barnard and miscued to Parnell at mid on. His 206 ball knock contained 18 fours.
The innings ended when Jade Dernbach (6) holed out to Tongue at long off against Pennington.
Worcestershire openers Daryl Mitchell and Fell put on 65 before the former on 15 nicked Rikki Clarke to second slip.
Ollie Westbury (15) fell lbw to spinner Amar Virdi and Alex Milton (24) was caught behind by Ollie Pope – deputising for the Foakes off Morkel – after adding 63 with Fell.
Worcestershire were then 154-2 but then came on the receiving end of an inspired spell from Morkel of five wickets for five runs in the space of 38 balls.
One of his victims was Fell who was bowled by the final delivery before tea.
Joe Clarke came into at number eight after suffering from a stiff back but was caught at short leg off spinner Amar Virdi.
