Cricket

SURREY A TALE OF TWO CONTESTS

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23 May 2008

By John Prendergast

SURREY CONTINUED their good county form by almost forcing a victory against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl, and despite the result not quite going their way the Oval outfit still moved to second in the county table.

The disappointing one day form continued however as the Brown Caps lost in a run fest at Canterbury, despite a valiant knock from skipper Mark Butcher.

HAMPSHIRE DREW WITH SURREY

DESPITE SAQLAIN Mushtaq claiming five wickets on the final day Surrey fell just short of forcing a positive result in this fixture. Hampshire were set 281 to win off 75 overs, and was hanging on at the end as Surrey claimed eight wickets.

Only some stubborn efforts by the home side’s lower order prevented Mushtaq tying up the win.

The contest was set to be the game in which Mark Ramprakash scored his 100th first class century, but in a low scoring game he could only muster scores of 17 and 9. Instead it was Jimmy Ormond and Matt Nicholson who starred surprisingly with the bat, recording patient second innings knocks of 64 and 73 respectively.

With Butcher setting Hampshire a tempting target Surrey seemed well on their way, when Pedro Collins stuck early on and Mushtaq ripped out the middle order.

But a knock of 94 by Michael Brown and the lower order stubbornness saved the home sides skins.

KENT BEAT SURREY BY 17 RUNS

THE SECOND away day of the week saw Surrey fall just short of chasing down a massive 337 in this exciting one day contest. And it was Surrey old boy Azhar Mahmood who put paid to any hope of a win by taking 4-40 to ease the home side's nerves.

Once again the Surrey one day attack was put to the sword, only Chris Jordan with 3-53 and Matt Nicholson who conceded 41 off his ten overs managing to maintain any kind of order.

Darren Steven was particularly severe as he hit the Brown Caps bowlers to all parts of the ground in a dazzling 119 off just 77 balls. With Martin van Jaarsfeld also scoring a run a ball century the game looked out of reach for Surrey at the end of the first innings.

But skipper Mark Butcher would not give up without a fight, opening the innings with James Benning. He too scored a fantastic century of 139 off 121 balls but when he fell fourth wicket down the game swang back to the Spitfires, and it was left to Mahmood to extinguish any lingering thoughts of an unlikely victory.

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