CLARKE IMPRESSES MARSH AS SURREY TURN THE SCREW by Marcus Hook
Leicestershire 112-7 v Surrey 501.

Due to the all-round efforts of Rikki Clarke and a Bicknell-like bowling performance from another fresh-faced Ovalite, Tim Murtagh, Surrey have got Leicestershire right where they want them in this game, which the defending champions must win if they are to return to the top of the Division One table with three matches to play.

The home side go into today needing another 225 to avoid the follow-on with only three first innings wickets remaining. National Academy Director and now roving England Selector, Rodney Marsh, was spotted at Grace Road yesterday and the former Australian wicketkeeper cannot fail to have been impressed by Clarke, whom he saw at close hand in Adelaide during the winter.

Having resumed on 349 for four, Surrey lifted their total past five hundred thanks in no small part to Rikki Clarke, who recorded his second century of the campaign and his highest score of the season.

The tall 21-year-old batted for 257 minutes and faced 199 deliveries for his 139. His innings, which included 22 boundaries – the vast majority of which were hit in front of square – saw just one chance being given when, on 102, he cut the ball to Hodge at first slip off the bowling of Phillip DeFreitas.

Along the way Clarke lost both Saqlain Mushtaq, who was adjudged leg before, and Adam Hollioake, who played the ball on to his off stump, to the bowling of Vasbert Drakes.

Drakes conceded just five boundaries in his initial ten-over spell. But following DeFreitas’s withdrawal from the attack at the Bennett End, David Masters was given the rudest possible welcome by Hollioake, who spanked three off-side boundaries in the former Kent man’s first over.

Rikki Clarke was eventually caught behind going for an expansive off drive, but Azhar Mahmood and Ian Salisbury wasted no time adding 25 in four overs before the Pakistan international swept the ball on to the bridge of his nose.

Requiring a trip to hospital, Azhar was replaced by Jimmy Ormond, who lasted just five deliveries before going the same way as Clarke. But Murtagh survived until after lunch, when he was caught at second slip off the bowling of Drakes moments after his side reached five hundred to leave Salisbury unbeaten on 24.

Adam Hollioake led out the visitors, but due to a viral condition was not on the field for very long before handing over the reins to Ian Ward.

Leicestershire’s reply began with John Maunders taking three boundaries off the bowling of Jimmy Ormond, before edging the former Leicestershire man behind. Three overs later Darren Maddy was lbw to a full-length delivery from Tim Murtagh. Brad Hodge, who cut Murtagh and Clarke fiercely as well as hitting Mark Ramprakash on the left shoulder at short leg, was also undone by a yorker, which plucked out his off stump.

Rikki Clarke then followed up his first success by going around the wicket and bowling John Sadler, who was by far the most composed of Leicestershire’s batsmen, before taking a brilliant one-handed catch off his own bowling to spell the end for Jeremy Snape.

The players came back for just eleven overs and one ball after tea. After losing Damien Brandy and Phillip DeFreitas in the space of three deliveries, both beaten for pace by Tim Murtagh, Vasbert Drakes on drove two consecutive fours off the 22-year-old seamer before the remainder of the day’s play – more than twenty overs – was lost to bad light and fine drizzle.

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