Cricket

BATTLING SURREY FALL JUST SHORT

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18 July 2008

 Nottinghamshire (7 points) drew with Surrey (11 points)

By Jon Surtees 

SURREY PRODUCED a heartening and positive performance, but were unable to force their first win of the season on a frustrating final day at Trent Bridge.

After losing the toss and being inserted by Nottinghamshire, Alan Butcher’s men got off to the worst possible start, losing Stewart Walters for a duck with the score on just four.

However with Mark Ramprakash standing firm at one end and rain a regular visitor to the ground, Surrey were able to navigate the traditionally treacherous Trent Bridge wicket and made it to the end of the first day on 59/2.

A much more positive second day saw Jonathan Batty dismissed early on but a fine partnership then develop between Ramprakash and Usman Afzaal (89). The two played well together until – just as the inevitable talk of his hundredth hundred started to bubble up – Ramps was caught by Graeme Swann off the bowling of Darren Pattinson for 40.

What might previously have caused disaster for Surrey then actually became a big positive with Matthew Spriegel coming in at number six and scoring a measured and intelligent knock of 51 off 150 balls – his maiden fifty for Surrey.

When Afzaal was bowled by Charlie Schreck, Australian Matthew Nicholson joined Spriegel at the crease, again playing intelligently to make a useful 38.

The next part of the tail to wag was teenager Chris Jordan – long marketed as an all-rounder by Surrey coaches but yet to fill his potential with the bat – who replaced Spriegel with the score on 252 and partnered with first Nicholson and then Saqlain Mushtaq – who also made a good fifty – to make 57.

Even Jade Dernbach – who is not encumbered by expectations when it comes to his batting – was able to contribute, managing 16 not out and helping Surrey to a superb 403 all out – the highest first-class score at Trent Bridge this season.

Due to rain delays, Nottinghamshire were now unlikely to force a positive result on their side, leaving the Surrey attack to concentrate on trying to bowl them out twice to take a much needed victory back to The Brit Oval.
And, after a highly successful day three, this was looking more than likely. The Surrey attack, led by the experienced pair of Matthew Nicholson (3/44) and Saqlain Mushtaq (3/39) made short work of Nottinghamshire’s first go. The other four wickets were shared out with Jade Dernbach grabbing 2/42, Chris Jordan 1/37 and Matthew Spriegel 1/8.

With Dernbach and Pedro Collins then taking the early wickets of Will Jefferson and Mark Wagh before the end of day three, Surrey were looking odds on for the win.

However, a determined final day performance – including 58 from night watchman Kiwi spinner Andre Adams, 134 not out from Samit Patel and 68 from Graeme Swann saw Surrey go home with only a ‘winning’ draw and Nottinghamshire emerge as the likely moral victors, finishing the last day on 372/6 and securing a draw that once looked unlikely.

NEXT GAME

County Championship Durham (H) – Guildford July 16 – 19 @11am

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