Callum Ferguson scored his maiden Specsavers County Championship century as Worcestershire went down fighting on the final day of the meeting with Derbyshire at Kidderminster.
The Australian went to three figures off 205 balls with 17 fours and shared in a superb sixth wicket stand of 164 in 56 overs with Ben Cox (62).
Brett D’Oliveira (30) and club captain Joe Leach (28) also fought hard as the County tried to overcome losing their first five wickets for 48 runs in pursuit of a 373 target.
But they were eventually bowled out for 290 to go down by 82 runs with Ferguson finally dismissed for 127.
He batted for more than six hours, faced 288 deliveries and struck 20 boundaries.
The County showed plenty of resilience after their early innings collapse which followed on from being bowled out for 113 on the opening day when they had an opportunity to build a lead after dismissing the visitors for 108.
Their attack was on the mark for the vast majority of the game with Ed Barnard and Joe Leach picking up six wickets apiece and Dillon Pennington and Charlie Morris also playing their full part.
Worcestershire resumed on 156-5 with Ferguson unbeaten on 71 and Cox 44 not out with the second new ball due in 13 overs.
Runs flowed at a fast pace against the opening attack of Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Anuj Dal.
Ferguson collected successive boundaries via a cut and back foot square drive at Hudson-Prentice’s expense.
An inside edge for a single off Hudson-Prentice took him to his century off 205 balls with 17 fours.
Cox went to his half century in the next over from Dal from 140 deliveries with eight boundaries.
The 150 partnership came up in 49 overs before the new ball was taken immediately at 206-5 off 80 overs.
Ravi Rampaul made the breakthrough for Derbyshire in his first over of the day.
Cox (62) tried to get his bat out of the way of a sharpish Rampaul delivery but was unfortunate to see the ball deflect onto his stumps.
Ferguson was joined by D’Oliveira, a century-maker in last week’s game at Cardiff, and he cut Rampaul for four after the West Indies paceman changed ends.
Worcestershire reached 245-6 by lunch with Ferguson unbeaten on 126 but he added only one more after the resumption.
Hudson-Prentice ended his fine knock by trapping him lbw.
D’Oliveira looked in good form before he was lbw to Tony Palladino.
Dillon Pennington (0) was also leg before – to Rampaul – and the match ended when Leach (28) holed out to mid on off Palladino.
