It is not often that a Kumar Sangakkara century of typically calm authority is confined to the shadows. But Sangakkara centuries come round far more regularly than first-class debuts like Sam Curran’s. Seventeen last month, the left-armer followed up his five first-innings wickets with three more Kent wickets, while on a 20-wicket day, and coming in at No11, he looked as calm and collected with the bat as anyone, Sangakkara excepted.
That Curran’s second wave of contributions began just as this match was preparing to drift towards a draw says as much of his chutzpah as it does of his skill. Replacing Sangakkara at the crease with Surrey still 48 shy of Kent’s total, he laced a cover drive, flicked to fine leg and rolled his wrists on a wonderful pull in the space of four Matt Coles deliveries.
Then, in his first over with the ball, he swung a delivery back into Daniel Bell-Drummond’s pads and set off in celebration, barely needing to turn to see the umpire’s raised forefinger. Next over, he had Adam Ball top-edging to midwicket and shortly after Joe Denly caught and bowled off a leading edge. Curran scuttles in with small steps and, like his brother Tom, skips rather than leaps at the crease and has a fast arm.
Fittingly, for one so action-filled, the day’s fourth ball – and Arun Harinath’s first – produced a wicket, Kent medium pacer Darren Stevens’ 300th in first-class cricket. Zafar Ansari fell in identical fashion – caught at first slip by Coles – shortly after as Surrey wickets fell periodically around Sangakkara. Jason Roy was unimpressed to be given caught behind, while a scratchy Dom Sibley and brief Ben Foakes were trapped on the crease. Stevens finished with four, while Matt Hunn picked up three, including Sangakkara.
Sangakkara was risk averse, nudging and nurdling, exploiting gaps and unfurling occasional flourishes. Early, Bell-Drummond was placed at deepish point, so he consecutively placed it yards either side of him for fours. After an uncharacteristically tetchy time in the 90s, he swivelled on a pull to reach 100, perfectly dissecting two men in the deep.
Kent’s second effort was a sorry showing. After Curran’s initial spell of 6-2-9-3, the middle order were settling, only for the final five to fall for 13 in a calamitous collapse full of careless cricket, from which Gareth Batty profited with four wickets for five runs in 20 balls.
Sam Northeast had flatly uppercut James Burke for six, but pushed forward and edged to slip off Ansari, who had Sam Billings caught and bowled next over. Ben Harmison was composed until he was caught behind trying to cut. Foakes smartly ran out Stevens off bat and pad, while James Tredwell was beaten for pace by Tom Curran and Coles was caught behind looking to slog Batty.
This mess leaves Surrey requiring just 121 more for victory, which should be straightforward even after Ansari was bowled by Tredwell with the day’s final ball.
