MIDDLESEX V SURREY - Specsavers
County Championship - 4 August 2016
Surrey 384-8. Middlesex,
Middlesex's attempt to win the County Championship for the first time
in more than two decades encountered stern local resistance at Lord's
as capital rivals Surrey strengthened their own fight against
relegation.
Illustrating the capricious nature of cricket Jason
Roy and Rory Burns, who between them made five runs against Middlesex
on this ground in the Royal London Cup on Tuesday, scored a combined
198 as Surrey racked up 384-8. With Middlesex's bowlers failing to
capitalise on a promising start in helpful conditions Roy made a
century and Burns should have done.
In four innings in three formats across seven days
Roy has scored 120*, 93*, 0 and 110. The lesson is that in current
form once he gets in he is hard to stop and it was not until he was 95
he gave a chance, being dropped at mid-wicket by a diving Dawid Malan
off James Franklin. Thereafter the normally destructive ball-striker
proceeded in singles, finally scrambling the one he needed to achieve
his first Lord's century. With places in England's batting line-up
potentially available soon it was a well-timed innings.
There was a century for the taking for Burns too,
and he knew it. The opener - who will have international ambitions of
his own given Alex Hales' mixed form - sank to his haunches in despair
when he was dismissed. Having moved serenely to 88 off 127 balls he
slashed an undeserving tennis-ball bouncer from James Harris into the
hands of George Bailey on the deep point boundary.
Earlier Surrey had elected to bat on a wicket with a
green tinge, aiming to see off the new ball and prosper. The gamble
almost failed. With the ball moving under cloudy skies they quickly
lost Dominic Sibley and Zafar Ansari leg before to Tim Murtagh. Aaron
Finch went the same way after a breezy 37 but then Burns and Roy
settled in. They added 118 before Burns' exit, then Roy and Steve
Davies (38) put on a further 83 before the latter was leg before last
ball before tea.
Injury-hit Middlesex recalled Nick Compton after a
period away from the game to recharge his batteries after the stress
of trying - and failing - to revive his Test career and he took the
catch at cover which ended Roy's innings. However, Foakes was then
missed on ten at gully - a sharp chance to Stevie Eskinazi.
That proved expensive as the sun emerged to counter
the benefits of taking the new ball. The wicketkeeper was 53 not out
at the close and, with the Curran brothers chipping in - Tom scoring
26, Sam 20, Surrey, inconveniently for their neighbours, are within
sight of passing 400 for only the fourth time this season.
Jason Roy said, after his maiden Lord's hundred: "To
get a century here is pretty special, an incredible feeling. There was
swing and sideways movement early on but once the ball got softer it
became easier. I have found it tough moving between the three formats.
I had been going in with a different mindset and different way of
batting which was pretty silly. I just went in and took it like a
50-over game, got myself in, then played a few shots and tried to go
as big as possible.
Roy said Trevor Bayliss, England's head coach had
told him "to score as many runs as I can" to get into the Test team.
Roy added: "Volume of runs speaks louder than anything. I have not
scored the volume I would like, but this is a start."
TEA REPORT
Jason Roy took advantage of a 'life' to record his
first century at Lord's as Surrey made an sound start to their
Specsavers County Championship match against leaders Middlesex.
Roy was on 95 when he chipped James Franklin to
mid-wicket only for a diving Dawid Malan to spill the chance. Four
watchful overs later he scampered a quick single to reach 100 as
Surrey reached tea 271-5.
Roy was dismissed for ducks in his last two
first-class innings, and his last outing, here in the Royal London Cup
on Tuesday. But he had also posted unbeaten scores of 120 and 93 in
the past week and continued that form as Middlesex's bowlers failed to
press home an early advantage on a wicket with a greenish tinge.
Surrey, who need points themselves to remain clear
of relegation, elected to bat but quickly lost Dominic Sibley and
Zafar Ansari leg before to Tim Murtagh. Aaron Finch went the same way
after a breezy 37 but Rory Burns and Roy then added 118 before Burns
caught slashing James Harris to deep point.
LUNCH REPORT
Rory Burns reached his third half-century in four
innings before lunch at Lord's on the opening day of Surrey's
Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex. Burns, who
made successive fifties in the Royal London Cup last month, but only
five on this ground in the competition on Tuesday, took advantage of
the short Grandstand boundary to post nine fours in his fifty.
However, with Middlesex taking advantage of ball
movement under cloudy skies, Surrey also lost three wickets in the
session to reach the interval 125-3 off 27 overs.
Some batsmen still seemed in one-day mode with Aaron
Finch lifting Tim Murtagh for six as he made 37 off 32 balls and Jason
Roy, having come to the crease at 70-3, scoring an unbeaten 31 off 37
balls.
All three wickets were leg before with Murtagh
dismissing Dom Sibley and Zafar Ansari cheaply before James Franklin
took the important wicket of Finch.
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