MIDDLESEX V SURREY - Specsavers
County Championship - 5 August 2016
Surrey 415. Middlesex 249-5.
Despite an eye-catching 82 from Nick Gubbins and a watchful
half-century by John Simpson, Middlesex were made to work hard with
the bat on day two of the Specsavers County Championship Division One
clash at Lord's, which ended with the hosts on 249 for five in reply
to Surrey's first innings 415.
Gubbins, the 22-year-old left-hander, has now scored
849 championship runs at average of 65.30 this season and was close to
completing a third hundred in as many first-class innings at Lord's.
Earlier in the day, Surrey converted their overnight
384 for eight into maximum batting points, though not before Gareth
Batty had been dropped on 13 when a miscued pull off Toby Roland-Jones
just evaded John Simpson's full-length dive.
Roland-Jones eventually snared the Surrey skipper
leg before for 23, while James Harris added a third wicket to his
tally when Stuart Meaker played across the line and was also lbw,
leaving Ben Foakes undefeated on 63.
In reply, Middlesex suffered the early blow of
losing Stevie Eskinazi for eight, lbw to Tom Curran, and Nick Compton
for 11. Compton, other than when he pulled the fourth delivery after
lunch for four, looked out of sorts and was undone by an inswinging
ball from Meaker, which flattened his off stump off an inside edge.
The left-handed pair of Gubbins and Dawid Malan then
added 80 for the third wicket, and Gubbins, who reeled off a number of
sumptuous cover drives and latched on to anything on his legs, moved
to a 100-ball half-century that included nine fours. He also drove
Zafar Ansari to the extra cover rope before lifting the 24-year-old
slow left-armer's next delivery over long on for six.
Ansari, however, soon struck twice in the space of
12 deliveries, having Malan caught at short leg by Dominic Sibley for
31 and bowling Gubbins, who was sweeping, around his legs.
George Bailey, who was dropped at short leg off
Batty, on 2, and Simpson then put on 70 in 19 overs, and shortly after
tea Bailey cut and then pulled Meaker to the boundary before cutting
the 27-year-old fast bowler for another four. But six overs later, the
Tasmanian was lbw for 37, shaping to sweep Batty.
Simpson, who launched Ansari straight down the
ground for six shortly before the close, hit a valuable 52 not out -
his half-century coming off 128 balls - and joined James Franklin (16
not out) in an unbroken sixth wicket stand that was not only worth 45
but also kept Middlesex in a hard-fought contest.
Middlesex batsman Nick Gubbins said: "All in all it
was a pretty hard-fought day of championship cricket. Surrey played
well this morning to keep us out there for a while and they bowled
some tight lines and it spun quite a lot.
"I'm happy with my form this season. It was
frustrating today because you pride yourself on getting in and going
big, but my job is to get Middlesex off to a good start and I feel I
did that today. We bat all the way down to number eleven, so it's all
to play for going forward."
Surrey's Zafar Ansari said: "We all bowled well on a
ground that does give you value for your shots. It would have been
nice to take a couple more wickets, but we're still in a position
where Middlesex haven't got away from us and if we can collect a
couple more early on tomorrow we'll be ahead in the game.
"There's something there for all of the bowlers.
There are a few cracks, so there's a chance of taking twenty wickets
in this game if we bowl well."
TEA REPORT
Despite an eye-catching 82 from Nick Gubbins,
Middlesex were 156 for 4 at tea and on the back foot in reply to
Surrey's 415 on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship
Division One clash at Lord's.
Four overs after losing Dawid Malan, caught at short
leg for 31, Surrey left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari struck again when
Gubbins, sweeping, was bowled around his legs within sight of what
would have been a third hundred in as many championship innings at
Lord's for the 22-year-old.
Had George Bailey not been dropped at short leg off
Gareth Batty, on 2, the hosts would be in even more bother after
Middlesex had suffered the early blow of losing Stevie Eskinazi for
eight, lbw to Tom Curran, and Nick Compton for 11.
Compton, other than when he pulled the fourth
delivery after lunch for four, looked out of sorts and was undone by
an inswinging ball from Stuart Meaker which flattened his off stump.
Left-hander Gubbins, who reeled off a number of
sumptuous cover drives and latched on to anything on his legs, moved
to a 100-ball half-century that included nine fours. He also drove
Ansari to the extra cover ropes before lifting the 24-year-old slow
left-armer's next delivery over long on for six.
Earlier in the day, Surrey crept cautiously towards
the 400-mark, taking 37 balls to convert their 384 for eight overnight
into maximum batting points, though not before Batty had been dropped
on 13 when a miscued pull off Toby Roland-Jones just evaded John
Simpson's full-length dive.
Roland-Jones eventually snared the Surrey skipper
leg before for 23, while James Harris added a third wicket to his
tally when Meaker played across the line and was also lbw.
LUNCH REPORT
Ben Foakes finished with an unbeaten 63 as Surrey
posted a first innings 415 against Middlesex on day two of the
Specsavers County Championship Division One clash at Lord's, where, at
lunch, the hosts were 22-1 in reply.
Surrey crept cautiously towards the 400-mark, taking
37 balls to convert their 384 for eight overnight into maximum batting
points, though not before Gareth Batty had been dropped on 13 when a
miscued pull off Toby Roland-Jones just evaded John Simpson's
full-length dive.
Roland-Jones eventually snared the Surrey skipper
leg before for 23, and James Harris added a third wicket to his tally
when Stuart Meaker played across the line and was also lbw.
Middlesex suffered an early blow when Stevie
Eskinazi departed lbw to Tom Curran. But Nick Gubbins, who announced
himself with a delightful flick to long leg for four off Sam Curran,
and Nick Compton saw the hosts through to lunch with no further
setbacks.
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