Lewis and RHB shine as wickets tumble

Surrey are the slight favourites for victory in the LVCC Division 1 match against Middlesex at Lord’s, after bowling the hosts out for just 106, and ending the day 95-4, chasing 141. A total of 19 wickets fell in the day.

Surrey started the morning with RHB and Chris Jordan at the crease. Once again there was some attritional stuff early on, as Murtagh and Collymore bowled tightly. The skipper got into his stride, when he pulled Collymore into the Grand stand for 6, but the partnership was broken in the next over. Murtagh got a deserved wicket when he got one to jag back at Jordan and uprooted his leg stump. Gareth Batty didn’t last long either, as he looked to work a Collymore ball into the leg side, but got a leading edge and Denly took a smart catch.

Jon Lewis biffed it around for a bit, making run scoring look relatively easy compared to how others had faired. However, Middlesex had the big wicket of RHB, when Roland-Jones trapped him in front for 35. Surrey’s innings was all over not long after, when Lewis was caught by Murtagh for 21, and Dernbach lasted just 5 balls, without scoring. All out for 222, a lead of 34 for Middlesex.

RHB shocked me, and many others on Twitter, when he opened up with de Bruyn alongside Jon Lewis, especially with the leading wicket taker from 2011 and an England bowler waiting in the wings. However, all my moaning led to a wicket, and it was de Bruyn who got it, drawing Denly into a drive, with Batty taking the catch at slip. Robson and Rogers safely took their side to Lunch just one down.

Then, second ball after lunch, de Bruyn got Rogers to drive at a wide ball, and Davies took the catch. A massive wicket for Surrey, who were scenting a chance. Malan joined Robson, and the Middlesex pair had other ideas though, slowly building the lead, but before it could reach 100, Dernbach got a ball to nip back at Malan, and just clipped the bails, to dismiss the in form batsman.

Jade then followed that up by trapping Robson in front in his next over, Middlesex 4 down. Jon Lewis was brought back into the attack and immediately made an impact, when he removed the opposition’s skipper, Dexter, LBW without scoring.  3 wickets had fallen for 11 runs, and Surrey needing to capitalize, as the lead had reached 110. Gareth Berg then drove at a ball from Lewis, and the 36 year old had his second wicket of the innings, when Batty held onto another catch at first slip. Middlesex theoretically 116 for 6.

Simpson and Rayner were under real pressure from Dernbach and Lewis, and struggled to find a run. Surrey were then in control, when Rayner drove firmly back at Lewis who got a hand to the ball, which deflected back onto the stumps, and ran Simpson out. Middlesex 8 down for 90, a lead of 124. Murtagh joined Rayner, and the ex Surrey man would have been looking to blast some vital runs, and get the lead up and above 150. However, Lewis picked up his 3^rd, when Rayner couldn’t resist a nibble at a ball outside off stump, and Davies did the rest.

The former Gloucestershire man was really finding his rhythm, and he finished off the innings in the space of 3 balls, when Roland-Jones was caught brilliantly at slip by Rudolph, and then trapped Collymore in front without scoring; Middlesex all out for 106. Lewis had picked up his first fifer for Surrey, with figures of 5-41. Surrey required 141 to win, on a pitch which seemed to be getting harder to bat on, with Middlesex falling from 65-2, to 106 all out.

Steven Davies and Jacques Rudolph set about chasing the target after the tea interval was taken, but didn’t get off to the greatest start. Toby Roland-Jones trapped the South African in front for just 6, and Surrey had lost their first wicket with the score on 14. And then Davies went in the next over, cutting a loose Murtagh delivery straight to Denly at point.

Surrey needed one of their old guard, Ramps or de Bruyn to get a score. However, it wasn’t going to be the elder of the 2, as Ramps was caught at slip once again off Roland-Jones, for just 1. He really is struggling this season, even more than last, so this will be most certainly his last season in First Class cricket. RHB joined Zander and they started to build a partnership, with the skipper dominating it. However, de Bruyn went when he cut a short ball from Collymore to Rogers at short extra cover, and Surrey were 4 down, still needing a further 73 for victory.

Hamilton-Brown though, still carried on playing in typical fashion, ticking along at over a run a ball. He brought up a brilliant half century with a couple off Gareth Berg. It had come off 49 balls, and could prove match winning. But that was it for the day, as bad light brought a premature end with Surrey on 95-4, requiring 46 more to win.

So, Surrey will be favourites heading into the final day at Lord’s, but batting still isn’t easy, and if Middlesex dismiss RHB or Maynard early, they will fancy their chances.