Saturday 7 April 2012

Surrey closing in on opening win


Surrey are closing in on victory against Sussex at the end of day 3 of the LVCC Division 1 match, after reducing the visitors to 240-8 in pursuit of 342.

After just one over of play, the players were off for bad light even though the floodlights were on. The delay lasted 25 minutes, and once they were back out there, Meaker and Lewis looked good again, adding some vital runs to the lead. However, on 27, Meaker drove at a ball from Arif, and Yardy held onto the catch at slip. The partnership with Lewis was worth 57, and would prove pivotal. Lewis then went in the next over, guiding Anyon down to Arif at 3rd man, to give him his 5th wicket. Surrey 273 all out, 342 for Sussex to win.

Sussex had just over an hour to bat before lunch, with Jon Lewis and Zander de Bruyn opening up the bowling. Chris Nash took a particular liking to Lewis, hitting him for several boundaries, including a big six into the OCS stand. However, Lewis had his revenge, when with the score on 29, Nash chopped onto his stumps and went for 20. The 800th first class wicket in Lewis’ career. Fellow opener Ed Joyce didn’t last much longer, as Stuart Meaker beat him for pace, and bowled him for 12. Murray Goodwin has been in this situation many times before for Sussex, and Surrey knew he would be the prize scalp. And in the last over before the interval, Meaker trapped him bang in front without scoring, and Sussex went to lunch 41-3.

The break came just at the right time for Sussex, as Yardy and Wells started well. However, Jade Dernbach was finally brought on, and in his second over, he got the Sussex skipper to play around a straight one, and trapped him in front. Joe Gatting joined Wells, with the visitors needing to build a partnership to have any chance of victory. The pair batted sensibly, hitting the bad balls away, as the Surrey attack was frustrated. However, straight after Wells went to his 50, Gatting tried to put Batty into the Pavillion, but was caught on the long on boundary by Dernbach for 25. Wells was joined by Ben Brown and took Sussex to tea at 152-5.

Both teams knew that the last session would be vital, and if Sussex could win it, it would give them a big chance for victory. However, Meaker trapped Ben Brown LBW shortly after tea, and Sussex were 6 down. Dernbach then got his first wicket of the innings, when he followed Arif with a short ball, who helped it round the corner to sub fielder Jason Roy at leg gully.

Amjad Khan joined the impressive Wells, and began a stubborn partnership, still keeping alive the faint hopes of Sussex winning. Amjad was removed however, for a painstakingly slow 15, when he drove a ball from Batty and was caught at mid off. It was the spinner’s 450th wicket in First Class cricket and Surrey were scenting victory inside 3 days.

However, Wells found a willing partner in Jimmy Anyon, and the young batsman continued to show his talent, frustrating the Surrey attack. The pair took Sussex close to stumps on 240-8, but bad light brought a premature end to the day, with Surrey still needing 2 wickets, and Sussex requiring a further 102.

So, we should win this game, which would be our first in Division 1 since beating Lancashire in September in 2007, but don’t write off Sussex, as Wells has looked a class act, and will be hopeful of pulling off a fantastic victory.

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