BATTY’S THIRD CENTURY OF THE SEASON GIVES SURREY A FOOTHOLD by Marcus Hook
Lancashire v Surrey 330-9.

An unbeaten 152 from Jonathan Batty gave the defending champions a decent foothold in their latest championship fixture, against Lancashire at Old Trafford. With the leaders, Sussex, out of action now until 5 September, if his innings does prove to be the launch pad for another Surrey victory, the pressure would transfer straight back on to the seasiders.

One can be sure, however, that Lancashire will be working to their own agenda. Their chance of winning the title has not disappeared entirely, and the red rose county could well have a major influence on the outcome of the County Championship with the current leaders also needing to go to Manchester before the dust settles on the 2003 season.

Adam Hollioake won the toss and given what happened in last week’s game at Old Trafford must have had little hesitation in choosing to bat. Again, his team was missing Martin Bicknell and with Mark Ramprakash nursing a shoulder injury, Alistair Brown was included for only the second time in four championship outings.

The Lancashire side had a slightly different look about it. Mal Loye, who is suffering with a back problem, dropped out to give Mark Currie his first taste of championship cricket.

Cameos from Graham Thorpe and Azhar Mahmood provided the momentum for the Oval outfit, but there was no doubt which player the visitors were indebted to most of all yesterday. Their 29-year-old wicketkeeper-bastman faced 279 balls, striking 24 fours and a six, and is now well-placed to become the first Surrey player since Harry Jupp in 1870 to carry his bat on this ground.

Ian Ward, who had taken nine off Peter Martin’s first over, departed to a catch behind in Martin’s next when the 34-year-old seamer bent his back and got one to lift. But then Batty and Thorpe shared in a second-wicket stand of 104 in 28 overs in the period just before lunch.

Thorpe, who hit nine fours chiefly off the back foot and through the off side, looked set to deliver a timely hint to the England selectors ahead of the Fifth Test at The Oval. However, after moving confidently to a half-century – his seventh of the season – Glen Chapple managed to bring one back sharply and trap the left-hander lbw.

Batty also struck his fair share of runs off the bowling of Martin and Chapple, reaching his half-century just before the break. But immediately after the interval Surrey were restricted to 17 runs in nineteen overs, during which time they also lost Clarke, Brown and Hollioake.

Operating from the Stretford End and bowling around the wicket, Gary Keedy surprised the visitors with his new found control and turn. In the 48th over Rikki Clarke, who was dropped at mid-off when nine, concluded enough was enough and, advancing, was beaten by a combination of flight and turn. Two overs later Brown was caught at short-leg off the full face of the bat by Iain Sutcliffe and then Martin came back to clean bowl the Surrey skipper for a duck.

At 148 for five the champions were in a certain amount of trouble, but a straight six by Batty off the bowling of the slow left-armer started to break Lancashire’s stranglehold. Hegg immediately removed Keedy from the attack and thanks to the short-pitched tactics of Chapple and John Wood, Azhar rapidly helped himself to a bristling 63 in 89 deliveries, which included eleven well-struck boundaries.

He and Batty had added 113 in 27 overs either side of tea when, deceived in flight, the Pakistan international was caught behind trying to cut Keedy. Batty, who reached his century just after the break, only offered one half chance when, on 101, he edged the 28-year-old spinner.

Chris Schofield put himself in the wickets column when Ian Salisbury drove airily to cover. Saqlain Mushtaq succumbed to the second new ball and when Wood also knocked over James Ormond’s off stump the offer of bad light was taken with him on a potential hat-trick.

GO TO:

BACK TO: