Northeast had played very well, but is gone now, caught at first slip by Roy tumbling to his right off Ansari, who has this happy knack of picking up very useful wickets. He and Batty are bowling in tandem, after Burke was hit for a lovely flat uppercut six by Northeast. Billings has come out in his stead, and Kent do with another 99. They’re 55 for four and just 80 in front.
Scurran got another, a smart low caught and bowled of Denly off a leading edge. He finished his first spell with figures of 6-2-9-3, which is pretty good going. Especially for someone BORN IN 1998. Kent 37 for two with Burke and Ansari trotting along.
Right so this Scurran cat has plenty about him. He got a five wicket haul in the first innings on his Championship bow, then came out and played some delicious shots at No11 earlier and now he’s reduced Kent to 9 for 2 with his first two overs. He bustles in really smoothly and delivers his left-armers – they’re really not that quick yet but they sure as hell will be – and when he gets to the crease he skips rather than leaps, like his brother. It’s certainly not a high action, but is a lovely one.
He had Daniel Bell-Drummond so plumb with the sixth ball of his first over that he didn’t even turn round to see if the umpire had given it, he just celebrated and set off to the slips. World class celebrappealling; Stuart Broad would be proud. Then, next over, Adam Ball top-edged a pull straight to Sibley at a closeish midwicket.
I said earlier that I didn’t see how Surrey could win. Well, a bit more of that and it’s on. They’re now 17 for two as Denly and Northeast begin the rebuild.
That was quite a fun few minutes after Sanga got his century. Northeast basically stuck everyone on the fence pretty quickly and Sanga started to farm the strike. He slashed hard over the slips and Coles and Hunn the Aussie Slayer was bowling at a decent lick. Eventually he had a decent yahoo at a straight one from Hunn (a straight ‘unn, perhaps) and was bowled. Surrey were still 12 short of that batting bonus point when he went and just the Currans left to do it. Always immensely tempted to type Currants rather than Currans.
Well, Scurran, as I’m going to refer to the younger of the two got off the mark in Champo cricket with a sensational cover drive, then followed it up with a flick to fine leg for four more as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He’s a nice looking leftie, who is quite crouched as the bowler runs in and leaves the ball with a bit of a flourish. Definitely has massive lower-middle-order stylist potential. Oh and now he’s gona and just rolled the wrists on a pull to earn his team a point. Three boundaries in an over off Coles will do just fine.
A couple of frustrating overs later and Surrey are all out for 311 as Tom Curran gets a leading edge to backward point off Atilla. Sense this game might have some motions to go through for the next four sessions – the difference between the sides is just 24. For some very strange reason they are taking tea now, very early. Oh well.
Strangely enough, Sanga got a bit funky in the 90s there. He played this lovely late cut off Hunn to go to 95, then charged down the track and tried to stick him into the pavilion next ball, completely missing it. Then Batty went, caught brilliantly high to his right by Tredders at second. On 98, Sanga had another massive waft outside off and then came down the track again to Hunn, who saw him coming and bounced him. Next ball was the same, except Sanga stayed back, pulling Hunn exactly between the men at deep-square and fine-leg. Marvellous stuff to take him to a fine ton from 175 balls. He has Tom Curran for company and it’s 213 for eight.
Richard Gibson has news of a result
All over in a rush here. Jeetan Patel and Tom Milnes played some shots and were rewarded with the latter clipping a four off his pads to seal a two-wicket win at 2.12 pm.
The pair shared 38 runs in 8.2 overs and this absorbing match is done. Beauty of County Championship cricket - Durham were 184-1 in their first innings; Warwickshire were 184-9 in theirs. Warwickshire 19 points; Durham 6 points.
I type that, and then Burke goes immediately. He sent Stevens through the legside for four but next ball he’s caught at the wicket. Batty’s in.
With that rain nothing more than spit and now having passed, Foakes went in the third over after the break, leg before to Stevens. Looked a good shout.
Kent are working hard and doing well but they’ve got two problems here. Firstly, while Sangakkara hasn’t looked at his most fluent, he also just hasn’t looked like getting out. He’s nudged and nurdled it around, finding gaps and occasionally unfurling big shots, like the beefy drive down the ground he just gave Hunn to move into the 90s.
Second on Kent’s list of problems is that this is an immensely deep Surrey batting line-up. Sure No8 is in, but that’s Burke, who’s a handy bat, while the Curran’s are the last pair, and both are decent bats. Really difficult to see Kent getting the wickets sharpish enough to get into a winning position. It’s 260 for 6.
More news from Richard Gibson
The boiler has broken in the press box and....ok enough of that....there’s another wicket to tell you about. With Chester-le-Street clouding over, Jamie Harrison has got the ball swinging about and one delivery did enough to take the edge of the pesky Tim Ambrose. It flew to Paul Collingwood at slip, and that was that. Ambrose is exactly the kind of batsman you want to see the back of in this situation - always busy, running hard, finding the gaps, a general nuisance. This is so tight -Warwickshire need 60 with four wickets intact - you cannot rule out a tie. I’ve not witnessed one in first-class cricket.
Rikki Clarke gone to first ball after lunch, adjudged lbw. His reaction - punching the face of the bat as he departed - suggested he clunked it. Suspect his name may be added to the latest code of conduct list released by the ECB tomorrow (this for another day but those lists are getting bigger every week). Warwicks 233-8; 32 required.
Richard Gibson reports
Soup is leek and potato, score is 227-7, atmosphere is tense. Chris Woakes was invited to drive by Chris Rushworth and drove handsomely down the ground for a four. Two balls later, one nipped back and beat the bat, Woakes went lbw and Warwickshire need 38, Durham three wickets.
Matt Coles has bowled seriously well, and shortly before lunch gets his reward with the wicket of Sibley. The youngster was dealing in edges. He was off the mark with one, then, among others, nicked Coles short of Tredders at second on 7. So Northeast filled the cordon – five slips waited, Coles bowled at leg stump, he flicked hard and fine and it went through the diving Billings hands for four. He didn’t score again, though, with another couple of edges preceding him being absolutely plumb LBW to Coles.
Foakes got off the mark with a stunning flick to leg, and Sanga continues to tick along. He split the field with a great cover drive not long ago and continues just pick up ones and twos in the gaps. Oh, and with a bit of rain falling, they’re off for lunch. Covers coming on with Surrey 241 for five and Sanga 79.
Kent have another wicket. A few balls after inside edging a Coles beauty beyond a diving Billings, Haggett gets Roy to nick to the keeper. There was a huge celebrappeal from all the Kent lads but the umpire took an age to raise the finger and Roy didn’t want to go. Stood his ground for a good 15 seconds and when he did eventually take his leave, had a good prod of the pitch and a chat to Sanga at the other end. I heard a noise and think he was out. I may be wrong, and Jason Roy certainly thinks I am.
At the other end, Sanga is doing as Sanga does. He’s 65 and Surrey are 213 for four. School’s out so Dom Sibley’s in. He got off the mark with an edge through the slips and just edged Coles short of second slip.
Richard Gibson reports from Durham v Warwickshire
Durham began the fourth morning in the need of wickets - seven of them to complete victory, in fact - on a surface that always encourages the pace bowlers. Rather oddly, despite Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions seeking lbws and outside edges, both their successes in the first hour have been to leg-side catches by wicketkeeper Michael Richardson. First, Sam Hain tickled a short ball off Onions before a second leg-side strangle of the innings accounted for Laurie Evans. Durham believed they had their man for 37 in the same manner yesterday evening. Evans played well for his 70, the scoreboard is now working after a half-hour breakdown and Warwickshire’s requirement is under 100...
Bit of action in the first thirty at the Oval. Fourth ball of the morning – and the first faced by Harinath – Stevens angled one across the batsman and took the edge, with Coles doing the rest at first slip. 300 first class wickets for Stevo. Nice one, sir. Ansari came in at 4 and played one sumptuous flick to leg before falling in the same manner: c Coles b Stevens. It swung in a little and just took the edge. Interestingly, Jason Roy has come out a spot earlier than planned. Surrey going to have a dash? Batting conditions not ideal on a murky South London morning.
Batting conditions matter not to Sangakkara. Northeast posted a man three-quarters of the way back at deepish point for him but the great man sent Matt Hunn either side of him – backward point then extra cover – in consecutive balls. Sensational. And Roy’s just off the marks with a cracking straight drive.
Good morning folks, hope I find you all well. After four frustrating days at lovely Merchant Taylors’ – culminating in some exciting cricket – I’ve swapped somewhere-near-Watford for Kennington, which is really near my house and also has the added bonus of a nicely poised cricket match between Surrey and Kent. Was sorry to see Sam Billings fall one short of a maiden first-class ton yesterday but these Curran boys have a bit about them, don’t they? And I gather Surrey’s young Sri Lankan overseas – Sangakkara, is it? – played nicely last night. He’ll go far, I reckon.
Richard Gibson is up in the north-east as Durham and Warwickshire’s fluctuating funfest draws to a conclusion. Should be a cracking last day – or half-day – with Warwickshire requiring another 140 with wickets in hand. Never easy at the Riverside.
Elsewhere, Essex have set Glamorgan 462, which looks nominal on that result pitch at Chelmsford, but who knows. There have been a few famous Glamorgan wins of late, after all. And, rather maddeningly, a fourth game starts today at marvellous Cheltenham. The schedule is a right old mess, isn’t it?
Anyway, enjoy the cricket and whatever else it is you’re getting up to this fine Wednesday.
Morning all,
Today we have Will Macpherson at The Oval for Surrey v Kent and Richard Gibson at Chester-le-Street for Durham v Warwickshire. Here are their reports from yesterday:
Durham v Warwickshire
Chris Woakes tears into Durham to put Warwickshire in charge
Chris Woakes wasted no time in shedding his image as England’s forgotten man, displaying his international pedigree to crack open this enthralling contest. Woakes, featuring in his first competitive match since March’s World Cup bungle against Bangladesh, was thrown the new ball by his captain, Varun Chopra, for Durham’s second innings and vindicated the decision with a stunning opening spell. Within four overs from the Lumley end he had removed the hosts’ best three batsmen Mark Stoneman, Paul Collingwood and Scott Borthwick. Durham were nine for four and no longer dictating terms.
Middlesex v Somerset
Middlesex’s pursuit of victory is confounded by weather
Against the will of the weather, a game of cricket broke out at Merchant Taylors’ School which, having lost nearly 500 of its first 768 Championship overs, must rank as the most luckless county venue. Last season’s match between Middlesex and Sussex was completely washed out but, thanks to a lively pitch and some inventive captaincy from Middlesex’s James Franklin, 236.5 proved enough overs to take this game to the wire.
Enjoy the cricket.
