ADAMS GRINDS DOWN SURREY by Marcus Hook
Surrey 304 v Sussex 445-9.

Surrey endured a long day in the field yesterday, losing two players to injury in the process, as Chris Adams recorded his fifth championship hundred against the Oval outfit. It was his third for Sussex, all of which, curiously enough, have been his first of the season since his side won promotion to the championship’s top flight. A well composed 82 from Ian Ward, a stout half-century from Tim Ambrose and some lusty hitting from the visitors’ lower order saw them end proceedings with a commanding lead of 141.

The reigning county champions were only really held in check when Tim Murtagh, who took three for 65 off 23 overs, was operating from the Vauxhall End.

In the seventh over of the day Martin Bicknell had Richard Montgomerie caught at gully off an edged drive, after the former Northants man had added just one to his overnight score. At the other end, meanwhile, Jimmy Ormond exerted something of a stranglehold, conceding just 11 runs in his opening seven-over spell.

The introduction of Tim Murtagh saw Ian Ward driving consecutive fours off his 22-year-old former teammate, but after a double change was instigated in the next over Surrey held the upper hand going into lunch. Murray Goodwin was caught at slip in Azhar Mahmood’s first over of the day. Murtagh then had Ward, on 74, dropped at gully, but snared six overs later when one that straightened defeated the left-hander.

The smooth-actioned young seamer was occasionally punished by Tim Ambrose, but after the Australian-born wicketkeeper had added 104 in 34 overs in partnership with his captain, a touch of additional bounce induced him to waft fatally.

Chris Adams, who brought up the 200 with an edge to the third man boundary – by no means the first one of the day – and the 250 with a sweetly swept four off of Salisbury, was the fulcrum of the visitors’ first innings. Scott Newman limped off in the 66th over after pulling out of a chase, when the Sussex skipper on drove Azhar for four. That took Adams to within a run of his half-century, which he duly reached in 85 deliveries.

Ian Salisbury, who occasionally extracted prodigious turn from outside the right hander’s leg stump, looked respectable without being penetrating. So, it was no surprise when the home side took the new ball immediately after tea, entrusting it to the plucky Murtagh and trim-looking Ormond. The move immediately brought them two quick wickets, which were punctuated by the cut to third man that took Adams to three figures. Unfortunately for the Sussex captain, he went lbw to the next ball.

Robin Martin-Jenkins announced himself by launching Ormond into the makings of a new stand at square leg, then meting out punishment to Murtagh as if to underline that Surrey were still some way off achieving parity with the reigning champions.

Bicknell, who was off the field for a while before tea, bowled just three overs of a new spell, which brought the wicket of Martin Jenkins, before he too limped off for good, this time clutching the back of his right leg. Adam Hollioake replaced him and, second ball, had Kevin Innes palpably leg before.

Mushtaq Ahmed went for his shots in just the same manner as Martin-Jenkins. The hosts were given even more to think about when Jason Lewry, a man not known for his prowess with the bat, took Sussex past 400 with two leg side boundaries in the space of three balls from Hollioake, the first of which sailed over the square leg boundary for six. Mushtaq was run out trying to force the pace – beaten by Neil Saker’s throw from third man – but Lewry walked off at the end of the day undefeated on 44.

Surrey have made recapturing the County Championship their main objective for this season. On the evidence of the first two days perhaps it’s not too late to train their sights on something else.

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