TUDOR SETS UP LIONS’ SECOND VICTORY by Marcus Hook
Surrey Lions 281-8 (45 Overs) v Warwickshire Bears 256 (43.1 Overs). Surrey Lions win by 25 runs.

Yesterday, figures of four for 45 from Alex Tudor set up Surrey’s second National Cricket League win of the season. But then, with the game heading for an extremely one-sided outcome, Nick Knight – whose 105 followed an unbeaten hundred in the corresponding championship fixture – led a vigorous Warwickshire counter attack which was maintained by Graham Wagg, who took the visitors close with an unbeaten 31 off eleven balls.

Chasing the Lions’ massive total of 281 for eight, at one stage the Bears had been 127 for seven. However, a partnership of 80 in eleven overs between Knight and Sheikh left them needing ten an over with eight to go. Wagg then came in and biffed the ball to all parts. The 20-year-old scored off all but one of the deliveries he faced, straight driving Saqlain Mushtaq for three massive sixes, two consecutively.

Knight’s fifth one-day league century was only five runs short of equalling the highest score by a Warwickshire batsman against Surrey in the competition’s 34-year history. The left-hander made it in just 98 balls, with thirteen fours and one six – from a pull off Rikki Clarke. Trying to force the pace again he was caught on the cover point boundary off the last ball of the 38th over. The catcher, Mark Ramprakash had to leave the field shortly afterwards to receive treatment to his left hand.

After twenty minutes the Surrey openers already had 44 on the board. Alistair Brown, who got off the mark with a pulled six before straight driving his namesake for another, looked set for a huge score until he checked his stroke and was caught by Alan Richardson at mid-off.

Ward and Ramprakash then shared in a second-wicket partnership of 75 in ten overs. The home side would have been forgiven for entertaining thoughts of making their highest one-day league score against the visitors, but thanks to Mohammed Sheikh and Ashley Giles the Lions were soon forced to lower their sights.

Mark Ramprakash, who collected ten runs off his first three deliveries, brought up the Surrey fifty in the seventh over with a cover drive off the left-armer Wagg. The former Middlesex man finished as the Lions’ top scorer with a measured 63. His half-century was reached in just 53 balls and it included one swept six, off Giles, in the 20th over.

Ian Ward, who struck 47 in 45 deliveries, hit one maximum – a pull into the Peter May Enclosure off Richardson – and seven fours. Both batsmen were out to return catches. Graham Thorpe then took the baton and, after the experiment of batting Saqlain at four failed miserably, made his first half-century of the new season. Three of Thorpe’s five boundaries, including the six the hit off Ashley Giles in the 31st over, came from the reverse sweep.

Six overs later Clarke was stumped off Dougie Brown, as was Thorpe in the 41st, leaving Azhar Mahmood, Alex Tudor and Jonathan Batty to steal thirty runs off the last four overs. Little did they know it, but those runs were to prove crucial.

The visitors’ reply soon hit the rocks. Tony Frost and Mark Wagh were bowled out in successive overs, to leave the Bears struggling at 24 for two in the sixth. Frost played around his last ball, which splayed the middle and leg stumps, whereas with Wagh’s dismissal there was a hint of bottom edge.

Four overs later a brilliant catch at short mid-wicket by Graham Thorpe, off a full-blooded on drive from Ian Bell, reduced Warwickshire still further to 36 for three. Jim Troughton, driving, was caught behind off Tudor who then accounted for Dominic Ostler, who was taken at first slip, Brown, who gave a high catch to Bicknell at mid-off, and Giles who was caught low down at short extra cover by Adam Hollioake in the 27th over.

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