Wayne Madsen hit his sixth century of the season, whilst Harvey Hosein added 59 to his first-innings hundred, but Derbyshire fell to a nine-wicket defeat to Worcestershire at New Road.
Madsen’s century ensured he would finish the 2016 Specsavers County Championship season with a personal best tally of 1,292 runs at an average of 59, whilst Hosein became only the third Derbyshire wicket-keeper to hit a century and a half-century in the same first-class fixture.
The pair shared a battling century stand for the fifth wicket that ensured the hosts would have to bat again to secure victory, but a cluster of lower-order wickets fell as Derbyshire were dismissed for 260 second time around to leave Worcestershire needing 40 to win from the remaining 18 overs in the day.
The home side survived an early scare to get to their target within 10 overs and pick up a nine-wicket win to end the 2016 season.
A rain shower meant that the start to Day Four was delayed by 25 minutes, and five overs were lost from the day, but once play recommenced, Joe Leach quickly picked up the wicket of Alex Hughes (12) to leave Derbyshire 19-2.
Fellow seamer, Ed Barnard, then took the wickets of Billy Godleman (16) and Tom Wood (10) as the former finished the campaign with 934 first-class runs, but Madsen was standing firm with the score at 74-4.
He was joined by Hosein who ensured that Derbyshire made the lunch break without further damage and continued to assist Madsen well into the afternoon session. Madsen’s half-century, meanwhile, came up from 72 deliveries.
The partnership between Madsen and Hosein reached three-figures in less than 22 overs as the visitors enjoyed the best of the afternoon session.
Madsen was dominating the scoring in the stand and reached his sixth hundred of the red-ball campaign from just 122 balls, having struck 15 fours and a solitary six. He was, however, out shortly afterwards for exactly 100.
Despite losing his partner with whom he had added 124, Hosein got his side through to tea on 215-5 and then into the lead with five wickets in hand. Tom Milnes was also offering stern resistance and playing his shots.
Hosein’s fifth score of 50 or more in five consecutive innings meant he finished the season with 423 runs from only eight innings but he fell for 59, shortly after Milnes was dismissed on 36.
Greg Cork (four), Will Davis (0) and Tony Palladino (four) were then removed in quick succession to bowl Derbyshire out for 266 and set Worcestershire 40 to win from 18 overs.
For the second time in the match, Milnes dismissed Brett D’Oliveira without scoring, but that could not stop Worcestershire reaching 43-1 to secure victory by nine wickets.
