The visitors returned to four-day action in a hurry, as Fisher trapped Gareth Roderick lbw in the 10th over of the morning – the first of his three wickets on the day in an eye-catching bowling display.

Stand-in Worcestershire captain Libby came together with Nicholls to add 47 for the second wicket, before Surrey struck twice in five balls to leave the home side 70-3 at lunch.

Worcestershire’s batting unit continued to struggle early in the afternoon session, when Fisher removed Nicholls for 31, before Clark pinned Adam Hose lbw, as The Kia Oval-based outfit took control of proceedings.

Ethan Brookes and Waite joined forces with their side in some peril at 87-5, but raised the 100 in the 43rd over of the day, shortly before Brookes was given a reprieve when he was dropped at gully, still in single figures.

The pair accumulated 31 for the sixth wicket when former Worcestershire man Nathan Smith traded wickets with Mitchell Santner, as Surrey’s bowlers continued to press on.

Signing a one-game extension to enable his participation in this fixture, New Zealand international Santner showed all his class, returning figures of 1-38 from 15 overs as he bowled with expert control throughout.

Waite brought up a defiant half-century just after tea, facing 77 balls on the way to reaching his third half-century of the season, scoring six boundaries in his standalone innings.

Fisher returned to remove Ben Allison cheaply, before Fateh Singh joined Waite, as the pair came together to add a valuable 45 for the ninth wicket, before Waite held out to Dan Lawrence at long-on for a valiant 68.

After wrapping up the Worcestershire innings for 209, openers Sibley and Patel made their way to the middle to face 15 overs.

Despite catching a nasty blow on the arm from a rising Jacob Duffy short ball late on, Patel batted with great temperament, as he and Sibley saw their side through to stumps unscathed as Surrey trail by 162 runs with all 10 wickets in hand heading into the second morning.