YORKSHIRE ENJOY BATTING FEAST by Marcus Hook
Surrey Lions 291 (38.4 Overs) v Yorkshire Phoenix 334-5 (45 Overs). Yorkshire Phoenix win by 43 runs.

A feast of batting saw Yorkshire overcome Surrey by 43 runs thanks to the Tykes’ second biggest total in the history of the National League. At one point, however, it looked as if the home side had laid the platform for a thrilling victory. With sixteen overs and six wickets remaining, Alistair Brown in full flow and 103 more needed, the Lions lost Clarke, chopping on to the bowling of Matthew Hoggard and then, in the space of five crucial deliveries from Yorkshire’s skipper Craig White, Brown, Murtagh and Ormond.

A one-day league career best 111 off 127 balls from Matthew Wood, his second hundred in the competition and the fifth limited-overs century of the 28-year-old’s career, set up the visitors’ imposing total of 334 for five – the tenth highest since the National League began way back in 1969. It left Surrey, who started the day as the 2/1 ante-post favourites to win Division Two of the totesport League, with a veritable mountain to climb. But climb it they nearly did. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine many other sides in the country coming as close as the Ovalites managed in the end.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the cut stroke was in evidence throughout most of the Yorkshire innings. Harvey then Wood peppered the boundary square of the wicket on the offside thanks to some charitable short of a length cuisine from Jimmy Ormond, who conceded seven boundaries in his first four overs – the second of which was a maiden – and Mohammad Akram, who, surprisingly, was brought back for two further spells.

Rikki Clarke fared little better. His second ball was launched over the mid-wicket boundary by Ian Harvey and the 23-year-old was further despatched for a brace of sixes in the 18th over, the second of which, off the blade of Wood, established Yorkshire’s new partnership record for the fixture (eclipsing Ashley Metcalfe and David Bairstow’s unbeaten 130 for the fifth wicket at The Oval in 1986).

Harvey, who was dropped at short cover when 42, took just 35 balls over his fifty. The 33-year-old Australian departed in the nineteenth over to a well-judged catch at long-on by Newman off the bowling of Doshi. However, that only swapped one world-class one-day performer for another. Wood and Jacques put on 70 in twelve overs for the Phoenix’s second wicket. But soon after the visitors jogged past 200, Phil Jacques was caught at deep mid-wicket for an effortless 48 in 39 deliveries.

Tim Murtagh’s final two overs brought the scalps of Michael Lumb, who went for a breezy 29, and finally Matthew Wood, who was one of only two Yorkshire batsmen to score at less than a run a ball. But the collapse, if one could describe it as such, only briefly put the Phoenix off their stride. Thanks to Anthony McGrath’s unbeaten 48 from 23 balls, which included a huge pull for six off Akram in the final over, Surrey conceded the highest ever total made against them in the National League (the previous record being Kent’s 316 for seven at The Oval in May 2003).

Unlike Yorkshire, the hosts lost wickets on a regular basis. Newman, in particular, and Benning looked in great form once the ball found the middle of the bat. Their opening stand of 73 in thirteen overs ended when Scott Newman’s mistimed back foot drive dollied the ball straight back to the bowler. Graham Thorpe sliced Tim Bresnan to slip before making a run, then James Benning, who clubbed the same bowler for two maximums, pulled Ian Harvey straight down deep square leg’s throat.

Ramprakash and Brown’s fourth wicket partnership of 73 occupied just six overs and lasted barely twenty minutes. Needing a breakthrough, Craig White turned to Matthew Hoggard, who duly claimed the wicket of Mark Ramprakash, whose exquisite flick off the hips picked out Wood on the fence.

But Brown simply remained in overdrive. His half-century needed just 24 balls and the 27th over, delivered by Deon Kruis, simply disappeared over the boundary on the offside as the Surrey total, which had been 150 four overs earlier, leapt to 217 for four. Soon after Clarke departed, to the first ball of the 30th over, Alistair Brown was eventually prized from the crease by an off stump yorker for a thrilling 46-ball 89, which included 5 sixes and 9 fours. After that there was no way back for the Lions.

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