MIDDLESEX V SURREY - Specsavers
County Championship - 6 August 2016
Surrey 415 & 234-6. Middlesex 293.
Surrey bowled and batted themselves into a commanding position on the
third day of the Specsavers County Championship London derby with Sam
Curran impressing with bat and ball at a sun-drenched Lord's. The
teenaged all-rounder took four wickets in the morning session, then
scored an unbeaten half-century in the evening period as Surrey closed
356 ahead with four second innings wickets remaining.
Curran's 13-ball burst of three wickets for four
runs helped Surrey take a 122-run first-innings lead which they
extended handsomely despite a similar flurry of wickets by Middlesex's
Toby Roland-Jones. The England squad bowler took three for none in
seven balls, including Zafar Ansari and Aaron Finch for ducks, as
Surrey subsided from 47-0 to 47-4 in mid-afternoon. While Finch is
always a key wicket the most important was Roland-Jones's first as
Rory Burns looked in excellent form only to chop onto his own stumps
for 39.
The clatter of wickets raised home hopes of being in
a position to chase a moderate target as Surrey's lead was then only
169. However, Jason Roy (37) restored the primacy of the bat with a
series of boundaries before Curran and Ben Foakes took the game away
from Middlesex. As the shadows lengthened the pair added an unbeaten
126 for the seventh-wicket in 156 minutes.
Wicketkeeper Foakes, who made a first-innings
half-century, doubled up with 50 not out to total 113 runs in the
match so far without dismissal, underscoring his value, but it was
Curran who dominated their stand. The 18-year-old scored all around
the wicket as he hit 71, his highest first-class score, off 146 balls
with eight fours.
In the morning he and brother Tom had required less
than an hour to polish Middlesex off with the second new ball.
Resuming at 249-5 Middlesex quickly lost the overnight batsmen James
Franklin (17) and John Simpson (58), the pair adding one and six runs
respectively. With Sam Curran taking 4-20 in the session to finish
with 4-60 and Tom Curran chipping in with the wicket of James Harris
to take 2-66, Middlesex were dismissed seven runs shy of a third
batting bonus point.
Results elsewhere mean Middlesex will remain
championship leaders regardless of how this fixture ends but failure
to secure eight points for a draw would leave their advantage
perilously slim as both Yorkshire and Durham have a game in hand.
Surrey, meanwhile, have done much in recent weeks to enhance their
chances of securing their reclaimed First Division status and will
hope to push on to their third victory of the season. To do so,
however, they will have to inflict a first defeat this summer on a
dogged Middlesex side.
TEA REPORT
Middlesex are likely to face a demanding
fourth-innings target to defeat neighbours Surrey in their Specsavers
County Championship match at Lord's despite a three-wicket burst from
Toby Roland-Jones that threatened to undermine the Surrey innings.
The England hopeful took three for none in seven
balls, including Aaron Finch and Zafar Ansari for ducks, as Surrey
slid from 47-0 to 47-4 in mid-afternoon on the third day. However,
Jason Roy, backing up his first innings century with a bright 37, and
Sam Curran (20 not out), helped Surrey move to 142-6, 264 runs ahead,
at tea.
In the morning Curran and brother Tom had ripped
through Middlesex's lower order to earn Surrey a 122-run first-innings
advantage. Taking the second new ball soon after the start of play Sam
captured four wickets, including a spell of three for four runs in 13
balls, and Tom one as Middlesex collapsed from 249-5 overnight to 293
all out. That gave Surrey the maximum eight bonus points but leaders
Middlesex only five.
LUNCH REPORT
A devastating spell with the second new ball by Sam
Curran put Surrey into a strong position on the third morning of this
London derby. Bowling from the Nursery End the teenager took 4-20,
including a spell of three wickets for four runs in 13 balls, as
Middlesex folded from 249-5 overnight to 293 all out. With brother Tom
also picking up a wicket Surrey took a 122-run first-innings advantage
over the Specsavers County Championship leaders.
Batting carefully Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley
extended the lead by a further 17 runs in the dozen overs remaining
before lunch.
At the start of play Sibley bowled one over with the
old ball then the Curran brothers took over with the new one. Sam
Curran bowled James Franklin then trapped John Simpson (58) and Toby
Roland-Jones leg before. After Tom Curran had James Harris taken at
slip Ollie Rayner was caught behind chasing a wide one to end the
innings seven runs shy of a third batting bonus point.
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