Warwickshire on top as batsman falter

Warwickshire have dominated the opening day of the LVCC Division One match at the Kia Oval, after bowling Surrey out for 223, and finishing the day just 1 down for 106.

Rory Hamilton-Brown won the toss, and without hesitation elected to bat first on a glorious summer’s day. As expected, the team was the same from the draw to Somerset, apart from Jade Dernbach coming in for George Edwards. Like in the second innings of that game, Jason Roy opened up with Steve Davies, and the pair started brilliantly, going at over 7 an over at one point. However, the runs stymied a little, and has he has done a lot this season, Roy went for 21 after making a positive start.

Zander de Bruyn came in at 3 and carried on from where Roy left off, batting uncharacteristically attacking on what looked a very good pitch. However, former Surrey man Rikki Clarke removed de Bruyn on 16, caught by Wright. Davies had looked good for his 34, but Rudolph sent him back after he had set off for a single, and Ambrose run him out to leave Surrey 84-3. The runs were still coming at a rapid pace, and the skipper and Rudolph took their side to the break 134-3.

Disaster struck straight after the interval though, as Rudolph was caught behind for just 19, and then there was a second run out of the innings, when RHB went for 34. There was never a single available, and Maynard at the other end didn’t budge. A suicidal run from the skipper. Chris Jordan, once again picked by Adams, then went without scoring and Surrey were 142-6, and in big danger of getting a massively below par score.

Gareth Batty was the next man to go, when Woakes got one to nip back at him and trap him LBW for 6. Maynard and Lewis then put on a partnership to take Surrey to their first and only batting point. However, the Welshman was the next to go, when he drove at Barker and was caught behind for 39. Chris Wright finished off the innings, removing Lewis for 37, before getting Dernbach caught behind without scoring. Surrey all out for 223, and a very disappointing batting performance, on a pitch that looked very good.

Our bowlers needed to get off to a good start, and they did, by restricting the Warwickshire batsman to less than 2 an over. The pressure proved dividends as Ian Westwood drove at Dernbach and Batty took a sharp catch at first slip. Meaker was then introduced into the attack, but after a couple of tight overs, the batsman began to score more freely and brought up the team’s fifty with just 1 wicket down.

Jordan, Batty and even an over from Hamilton-Brown tried but didn’t succeed as the wicket of Westwood was the only wicket the visitors lost in the 35 overs they faced this evening, as they closed on 106-1, trailing by just 117.

A very disappointing day then, and a missed opportunity, after winning the toss and batting on a pitch which looked very good to bat on, as Warwickshire showed this evening. They did show why they were top of the table at some points today, but too many of the wickets were thrown away needlessly, most notably the two run outs. RHB once again couldn’t get a notable score in the first innings of a match, and Roy, Davies and de Bruyn couldn’t kick on from promising starts.

To have any chance of victory, we will need to reduce them to less than 300, and hope that, as we have done a lot this season already, perform better in the second innings. However, that won’t be easy, as Chopra and Porterfield looked very comfortable at the crease, but Gareth Batty did manage to get some turn in the overs he bowled, which gives us some belief.