Meaker and RHB put Surrey on top

Surrey will be the happier of the 2 sides in the LVCC Division One match against Worcestershire, as the hosts ended with a lead of 152 with 4 wickets remaining, heading into the final day. 

Surrey started the morning 123-7, knowing that any runs they could get may be vital in the context of the game. However, they didn’t manage to add many more, as Richardson picked up his sixth, when Meaker was caught behind superbly by Scott. Batty’s poor form continued, when he edged Lucas to slip to give the former Northamptonshire bowler his first wicket. Lucas finished off the innings, when he had Dernbach caught behind without scoring. Surrey all out for 140, and needing early inroads in the Worcestershire first innings.

Jon Lewis gave them the perfect start, when he got Klinger to drive, and the edge found Maynard at slip, who took a good catch. Solanki joined Mitchell, and the pair had to grind against some typically tight bowling from Lewis. The 36 year old then picked up his second wicket, when Solanki looked to work him leg side, but got a leading edge, and Chris Jordan took a stunning catch at cover point.

Stuart Meaker then got the big wicket of Moeen Ali, when he beat him for pace and trapped him in front for 3. Then, in his next over, Meaker got the captain to drive and Maynard took the catch at slip. Kervezee and Cameron took their side through to lunch on 38-4, still trailing by 102.

Straight after lunch, Lewis was at it again, when Kervezee edged him to slips to give Maynard another catch. Meaker then removed Scott and Choudhry in quick succession, the former caught behind, and the latter giving Maynard a 4^th catch of the innings. And Meaker had his first fifer of the season, when he uprooted Lucas’ off stump. It was Meaker’s 100^th First Class wicket in his career, so congratulations to him. Worcestershire were 74-8 and Surrey were looking at a relatively big first innings lead in the context of the game.

However, James Cameron was joined by Richard Jones and the pair had other ideas, frustrating the Surrey bowlers, and gradually reducing the lead. Dernbach made the breakthrough, when he got Jones caught by Batty for 20, and Meaker finished the innings off, when he had Cameron caught behind. Meaker finishing with career best figures of 6-39, and the visitors were all out for 119. A lead of 21 for Surrey, but once again the inability to knock the tail over could cost them.

Jason Roy and Steven Davies looked to be positive straight away, with the former hitting Lucas for six in just the second over of the innings. However, the opening partnership didn’t last long, when Roy was caught by Mitchell off Richardson for 14. Davies soon followed for 8, and de Bruyn’s poor form continued when he was adjudged LBW off Richardson. Surrey needed Ramps to rebuild the innings, alongside the skipper, but the 42 year old didn’t last long, as Richardson picked up his 9^th of the match, trapping him in front with a ball that kept low, for just 10. Surrey had totally subsided, and when Maynard looked to launch Jones and was caught by Lucas, they were 59-5, a lead of just 80.

Chris Jordan joined his skipper, and the pair knew that they had to put together a partnership, or risk being bowled out with a lead below 100. RHB was batting in his typical manner, ticking along at well over a run a ball, playing an innings that could be so important in the outcome of the game. And it was the captain who took the lead over 100, with a couple off Lucas. However, the pair couldn’t take Surrey to the close, as Jones got Jordan to nibble at one, and he was caught behind for 9.

Hamilton- Brown brought up a brilliant half century off just 49 balls, the highest score of the game so far. He and Gareth Batty started to tick the score over as the light closed in, and at stumps Surrey were 131-6, a lead of 152.

A good day for Surrey overall, in which 19 wickets fell, but a lead of 152 could be match winning already. However, RHB and Batty will continue in the morning and look to get the lead near the 200 mark if they can, before trying to bowl the visitors out.