SURREY V HAMPSHIRE - Specsavers County Championship - 6 September 2016
Surrey 260-6. Hampshire.

Rory Burns held Surrey together with a skilful and determined 101 after the title outsiders had been put in by Hampshire on a seaming pitch in their Specsavers County Championship Division One match at the Kia Oval.

The 26-year-old left-handed opener continued his recent fine run of form as Surrey, who ended on 260 for 6 from the 80 overs possible due to bad light, were made to fight for first day runs by a four-man frontline Hampshire seam attack.

Burns faced 207 balls in a superb four-and-a-half hour knock, hitting a six and 15 fours before top-edging fast bowler Brad Wheal to Tom Alsop, running in from deep square leg.

He had reached 98 with a hook for six off Wheal and fully deserved his second championship hundred of the season. Unfazed by being beaten several times outside his off stump, he merely concentrated on accumulating steadily while also putting away anything remotely loose with eye-catching efficiency.

In his last seven championship innings, since the start of August, Burns has scored 443 runs at an average of 74 and, overall this season, he has made 1,102 championship runs at 44 with seven fifties besides his two centuries. He also moved past 5,000 first-class career runs when completing his half-century and his career average of 41, midway through his 76th first-class match, marks him out as a player of substance.

Burns saw a succession of partners fall to the moving ball, before being fifth out, although his fellow opener Dominic Sibley was unfortunate to be brilliantly held by diving wicketkeeper Lewis McManus when, on 11, he tickled an authentic leg glance at Gareth Berg.

That was 23 for 1, in the 13th over, and Kumar Sangakkara's answer to the tricky conditions was to attack. The great Sri Lankan had made 26 from 31 balls, with five fours, when he flashed at a lifting ball from Gareth Andrew that was angled across him and edged to a jubilant McManus.

Arun Harinath made it through to lunch alongside Burns, which Surrey took at 93 for 2, but was out shortly afterwards for 9 as he pulled Ryan McLaren straight to square leg.

Steven Davies was another who favoured a positive approach, also hitting five fours, before he steered a short ball from the pacy Wheal to gully to depart for a 36-ball 32.

But Ben Foakes, who added 76 in 21 overs with Burns for the fifth wicket, also batted with great judgement and authority and, when a third stoppage for bad light finally brought a premature end to the day, at 5.15pm, he had moved securely to 47 not out from 98 balls, with seven fours.

Sam Curran, after a bright 17, was caught at short leg off Liam Dawson's left arm spin, but Tom Curran was still there on 3 not out at stumps.

Third-placed Surrey, who still have a chance of pipping leaders Middlesex and champions Yorkshire to the championship if they win both their last two matches, owe much to Burns although Hampshire - themselves desperate for a win in their bid to beat the drop to Division Two - kept going well in the field and are certainly not out of this game yet. The second new ball is immediately due at the start of day two.

Rory Burns said: "I am delighted to get a hundred, after a few near misses recently, and especially to do it in tough conditions.

"It was humid so the ball swung a bit and, with the 10.30 start in particular, the pitch was a bit spicy. It was a good contest.

"We are very happy with where we are - the next target is 300 and then push on towards 350 maybe. I was disappointed to get out soon after getting the hundred but hopefully it will be a big score in the context of the match."

Craig White, the Hampshire acting head coach, said:"it was another frustrating day for us. On that pitch, and in those conditions, I don't think we bowled as well as we could have done.

"We bowled a couple of decent balls and then sent down a four ball, which released pressure. We did get better as the day went on but we bowled a fraction too short early on."

TEA REPORT

Rory Burns held firm with a skilful and determined 75 not out as Surrey battled to 189 for 4 by tea on a seaming pitch in their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Hampshire at the Kia Oval.

Put in, after an uncontested toss, Surrey were made to fight for first day runs by a four-man Hampshire seam attack, but left-handed opener Burns was more than equal to the challenge.

He saw a succession of partners fall to the moving ball, although Dominic Sibley was unfortunate to be brilliantly held by diving wicketkeeper Lewis McManus when, on 11, he tickled a leg glance at Gareth Berg.

That was 23 for 1, in the 13th over, and Kumar Sangakkara's answer to the tricky conditions was to attack. The Sri Lankan had made 26 from 31 balls, with five fours, when he flashed at a lifting ball from Gareth Andrew that was angled across him and edged to a jubilant McManus.

Arun Harinath made it through to lunch alongside Burns, which Surrey took at 93 for 2, but was out shortly afterwards for 9 as he pulled Ryan McLaren straight to square leg.

Steven Davies was another who favoured a positive approach, also hitting five fours, before he steered a short ball from the pacy Brad Wheal to gully to depart for a 36-ball 32.

Burns, though beaten regularly outside his off stump, kept on accumulating steadily and put away anything loose with great efficiency. It was a fine innings and, at tea, Ben Foakes had also batted solidly for 24 not out to help Burns take Surrey into a position they would gladly have settled for on being asked to bat first.

LUNCH REPORT

Surrey, still with an outside chance of the title, battled to 93 for 2 by lunch on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Hampshire as the visitors tried their best to take advantage of a seaming pitch.

Hampshire, needing to win this game if they are to have a chance of making a late escape from relegation for the second year running, decided to bowl first in warm, cloudy and muggy conditions - and the breakthrough came in the 13th over when wicketkeeper Lewis McManus pulled off a brilliant diving legside catch as Dominic Sibley, on 11, glanced Gareth Berg fine.

Kumar Sangakkara went on the attack, hitting five fours in a 31-ball 26 before flashing at Gareth Andrew and edging a lifting ball from the seamer to McManus.

The ball beat the bat on a number of occasions throughout the first session but, at the interval, opener Rory Burns had fought his way to 37 not out from 92 balls while Arun Harinath was unbeaten on 9 at the other end.

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