Batsman struggle but lower order fight

Despite the top order failing to make a mark on the game, Surrey have hung on in there thanks to some timely lower order runs on day two at Trent Bridge.

Losing 5 wickets before the lunch break would have usually accumulated in us following on sometime this afternoon, but a partnership of 81 between Gareth Batty and Gary Wilson has kept us in the game.

On just the third ball of the day, Jade Dernbach finished off the Notts innings when he trapped Harry Gurney LBW. However, that was as good as it got for us in the morning session, as our top order completely collapsed to leave us 49-5 at the lunch break. First Burns was caught behind for 4 before his opening partner Roy once again failed as he was bowled by Fletcher. Solanki hung around for a slow 8, before he was out LBW and an even slower 9 from de Bruyn was ended as he edged Franks into the slips. Davies was then out to the very last ball before the break without scoring, to culminate in a very poor session to say the least.

Arun Harinath and Wilson managed to bat out the first half hour or so after lunch, but when Harinath cut Shahzad to gully when on 24, it looked very bleak indeed. However, Wilson was joined by captain Gareth Batty, and the pair showed fight that the top order seriously lacked. They put on a partnership which took us past the follow on score and were taking us towards tea until Wilson was caught behind on 49 cutting off Samit Patel. The partnership had taken us to within 127 of Notts’ 274, and certainly restored some pride.

Batty had done a great job to reach 41, his highest score for a couple of years, but with the tail around him he decided to try and up the rate and was stumped off Patel. Not the best way to get out in the circumstances, and I’m sure he regrets getting out in that fashion. Linley was then bowled all ends up for 11 by Gurney, and when Dernbach was caught for 15, we had been bowled out for 207, a deficit of 67.

The hosts had 14 overs remaining in the day’s play to see out, and they did it well until Meaker forced Hales to play on, to end on 24-1. I would have liked it if we could have got at least one more, but it wasn’t to be.

Even though that was a very poor show from the batsman, it could have been far worse come close tonight. Batty and Wilson showed pure grit and determination and saved us from embarrassment and almost certain defeat. It still looks likely that, with a lead of 91, Notts will win the game, which would add to our poor start of the season, but at least we are putting up a fight.

To be fair to our batsman Notts’ powerful line up struggled in the first innings, which shows that the pitch isn’t easy to play on. It was interesting to see that this morning Tim Linley said their score was about par, but I personally feel that it was well above par. If we didn’t allow their last 3 wickets to put on almost 100, then it could have been a different story. Even though it’s not a 49-5 pitch, our score of 207 was probably just about right.

Tomorrow we will have to bowl well and try and roll them over for less than 150, as much more than 200 will be very hard to chase.