Joe Leach and Tom Kohler-Cadmore led a partial Worcestershire recovery to secure two batting points on the opening day of the LV = County Championship match with Surrey at New Road.
The pair joined forces shortly after lunch with Worcestershire placed on 133-6 and both scored crucial half centuries during a stand of 95 in 22 overs.
Kohler-Cadmore made 51 – his fourth 50 of the campaign in red ball cricket – and all-rounder Leach 70.
Their efforts, along with a half century from the returning Moeen Ali, were largely responsible for Worcestershire reaching 272 all out in the 77th over.
By the close third placed Surrey, who trailed Worcestershire by 39 points at the start of the day's play, had reached 59-0 from 17 overs.
Worcestershire elected to bat on a gloriously sunny morning and skipper Daryl Mitchell (0) was dismissed to the fourth ball of the innings from Jade Dernbach when he edged to Rory Burns at second slip.
Moeen was greeted with warm applause on his way to the wicket for his first county appearance since the end of June because of his England commitments.
He was quickly into his drive with three boundaries in an over from Matthew Dunn who this week signed a new three year contract.
Richard Oliver had a life when he was dropped at third slip by Zafar Ansari off Dernbach.
The former Shropshire captain cut Dernbach for four to bring up the 50 in only the ninth over.
But on 23 Oliver mistimed a pull at Dernbach and Gareth Batty held onto the catch at deep mid-wicket.
It became 70-3 when Tom Fell (0) was trapped lbw by Dunn.
Moeen continued to look impressive and he twice straight drove Dunn to the ropes.
He reached his 50 out of 95-3 off 71 balls with nine boundaries but in the same over was bowled by Dunn for 54.
The 100 came up in the 21st over but just before lunch Alexei Kervezee (18) was caught behind to give Dunn his third wicket.
It became 133-6 in the third over after the resumption when Ben Cox (0) edged Stuart Meaker to Zafar Ansari at third slip.
Leach survived a difficult chance to the same combination before he had scored but then he and Kohler-Cadmore began an impressive fightback.
Both players were not afraid to play their shots and there were 10 fours in Leach's 53-ball fifty and nine in Kohler-Cadmore's half century off 90 deliveries.
The stand moved to within five runs of three figures when Kohler-Cadmore (51) turned Ansari into the hands of Burns at short leg.
Leach found another willing ally in Jack Shantry who was unfazed by being struck on the helmet by Stuart Meaker.
The pair got their heads down and battled away for 24 overs to add 44 runs and help secure a second batting point.
The innings ended with the fall of three wickets in the space of five deliveries.
Shantry (21) fended a rising Meaker delivery to silly point and Leach was dismissed after a Batty delivery spooned up off the inside edge to Vikram Solanki at gulley.
He faced a total of 135 balls and hit 11 fours. Charlie Morris (0) played back to Batty and was bowled.
