Scott Newman continued his excellent start to the season by making a superb 86 off 78 balls as Surrey enjoyed much the better of a bad light and rain-affected opening day against Middlesex at Lord’s.

Newman’s authoritative knock was on course to become the first century before lunch at Lord’s by a Surrey batsman – and, incidentally, the first by an Ovalite prior to lunch in the championship since Darren Bicknell achieved it against Essex in 1989 – until, at 12:50, the 24-year-old edged a rising delivery from Nantie Hayward into the waiting hands of Paul Weekes at slip.

Having been asked to bat – which came as something of a surprise seeing as the visitors went in to the contest with two frontline spinners – the left-handed opener made light of the overcast conditions by announcing himself with a four through third man off the second ball of the day, and after repeating the shot off the very next delivery he stroked a glorious drive through the covers.

Jonathan Batty joined in the run spree with a superb cover drive of his own, also off Keegan, as Surrey advanced rapidly to 27 without loss after three overs. Hayward tried going around the wicket to Newman, but to no avail. The England A opener flat-batted a full toss from the South African through point for four and then flicked him to the fine leg boundary to go to 45. The left-hander reached his half-century in 47 minutes off just 41 balls, with 10 fours.

Cook and Hutchison applied the brakes before Jonathan Batty brought up the hundred stand in the 20th over with a straight driven four off Hutchison. Newman then cut loose with a brilliant six over backward point off Hayward, which he followed up with a four through mid-off. But the South African got his revenge in his next over when, with the total on 119, the youngster was out cutting. Batty was dismissed soon afterwards when a work to leg arced off the leading edge to mid-off.

No further play was possible after bad light and eventually rain stopped play twenty minutes after lunch. Mark Ramprakash and James Benning, troubled only by the light, were left undefeated on 12 and 20 respectively.

GO TO:

BACK TO: