Batty leads fightback on Day 2

Surrey have fought back on day two of the LVCC Division One match against Warwickshire at the Kia Oval, thanks largely to 6 wickets from Gareth Batty, and a quickfire half century from Jason Roy.

Surrey started the morning firmly on the back foot, with the visitors trailing by just 117 runs and still with 9 first innings wickets in hand. After a slow but solid start, Gareth Batty made the breakthrough, when he had Westwood caught at slip half an hour into the day. Troughton was the next man to go, when he played on to a Meaker yorker in the seamer’s first over of the day. And a wonderful first hour was completed, when Batty bowled Chopra for 78, who before this looked set for a big score.

Warwickshire had slipped to 144-4, but the job was far from over for the Surrey bowlers, as the 2 former England batsman Maddy and Ambrose frustrated our attack, and took their side to lunch 4 down for 182.

Straight after the break though, Meaker picked up his second, when he trapped Maddy plumb in front. Warwickshire claimed their first batting point 5 wickets down, but a flurry of wickets made it their only batting point. The skipper brought himself into the attack, and bowled Ambrose for 33, and in the very next over, Rikki Clarke was trapped in front by Batty.

Batty then had Barker stumped and Patel caught and bowled to claim his first fifer of the season. The Yorkshireman finished off the innings, by having Wright caught by Roy, and Warwickshire were all out for 247, a lead of 25. A fantastic session in which 6 wickets fell for just 65 runs and Batty claimed brilliant figures of 6-73. Davies and Roy took Surrey to tea unbeaten on 35, a lead of 10.

However, straight after the break, Surrey lost their first when Davies was strangled down the leg side off Barker and went for 14. Roy didn’t stop accelerating though, as he launched Jeetan Patel into the Pavilion for 6 to bring up his 1000^th First Class run. He soon brought up his first fifty in all competitions this season, which had come up just shy of a run a ball.

Roy and de Bruyn took Surrey’s lead past 50, and their own partnership past 50. However, the ball after the latter milestone was brought up, de Bruyn was trapped in front for 16 by Maddy, to continue his run drought.

Roy was the next man to go, as he whipped Rikki Clarke straight to Maddy at short mid wicket, and went for 71. A good innings from Roy, but a shame that he couldn’t make a bigger contribution, as we have seen how difficult it has been to settle on this pitch.

The skipper quickly came and went for 1, as Patel got one to bounce on RHB and was caught behind. It was the first time he hasn’t scored at least 50 in a second innings this season in the LVCC. We had lost 3 wickets for 20, and the visitors had regained a firm hold on the game.

Maynard and Rudolph played sensibly to rebuild the innings, knowing that another wicket could lead to a further collapse tonight. The pair did a very good job, taking us to stumps at 144-4, and a lead of 120.

Overall, a good day for Surrey then, but it was disappointing to see de Bruyn, Roy and RHB go in quick succession. If we could have made it to the close perhaps only 2 or 3 down, then we would be favourites going into the third day. However, it wasn’t to be, and if Warwickshire can nip a couple early tomorrow morning, they will look to wrap the win up sometime in the afternoon. But, if Maynard and Rudolph can somehow get the lead over 200 together, then we will have a real chance of completing our second victory of the season, on a deteriorating pitch.