A look at the final stage of Surrey’s ruthless disposal of Sussex in the county championship and a photo gallery.
This post looks back at the last stages of the match between Surrey and Sussex in the county championship which ended on Monday evening.
THE VICTORY PUSH
Although Surrey lost their last three wickets quite quickly they had piled up a lead of 264 by the time the last one fell – 622 against 358-9 declared. First class debutant Adam Thomas scored 120 of those runs from number seven, and I suspect we will be seeing plenty more of him, and higher in the order. Sussex started their second innings with the most obvious requirement being to reach the close of day three with little damage done. The very first ball of the innings, from Matt Fisher, hit and injured Tom Haines, and Sussex limped to 76-4 by the end of the day. They fared a bit better on day four, but for much of it an innings defeat looked more likely than not. They eventually avoided that, but were only able to establish a lead of 13, one run less than the lowest total Surrey have ever been dismissed for (against Essex in 1983, Neil Foster and Norbert Philip doing the damage with the ball). Surrey did lose two wickets while scoring these runs, making the final margin eight wickets, which decidedly flattered Sussex.
A look at developments in Surrey v Sussex, where the home side have taken a firm grip on proceedings, and a photo gallery.
The current round of Championship fixtures is now deep in to day three of a scheduled four. I have been following Surrey v Sussex.
WEATHER INTERVENES
Play ended early yesterday due to bad light and rain, with Surrey having reached 292-2 in reply to Sussex’s 358-9 declared. Due to yesterday’s interruption extra overs were scheduled for today. Today has been dominated by two players at opposite ends of the spectrum. The veteran Dom Sibley, as so often a near immovable object at the top of the Surrey order, was finally sixth out after 518 minutes and 377 balls, for 187. Surrey at that point had 446 on the board, an advantage of 88. Jordan Clark managed a mere 5, which made it 461-7. That brought Sean Abbott in to join first class debutant Adam Thomas. The pair are still in residence as I write, and have boosted the Surrey score to 600-7, with Thomas topping three figures on his first class debut, and Abbott, better with the bat than most number nines, well past the 50 mark. I suspect that if Sussex do not capture the last three wickets (and there is little sign of them being capable of doing so) Surrey will declare at some point at this evening to have a shot at Sussex tonight. In an otherwise sorry looking list of Sussex bowling figures one name stands out: Jack Carson, already with a ton to his name, has figures of 34-4-128-4, which is very respectable in such a massive score. Henry Crocombe has had occasional moments of looking threatening, but has a modest 27-4-89-1. Tea is now being taken with Surrey 615-7, a lead of 257 so far. I would expect Surrey to bat on a bit after tea before declaring (a new ball, due in another four overs, does not seem quite so threatening when it will be the third such of the innings).
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The three runners raising money for WNAG in this year’s GEAR (right foreground), with the crowds of other runners plus three big buildings, Fraser Dawbarns, The Corn Exchange and Bishop’s Lynn House providing the back drop.A large beetle with a red-brown body, black legs and antennae rests on a green leaf in Kettlewell Lane Park (two pics).
A look at developments in the ‘James Southerton’ derby (Surrey v Sussex) and two photo galleries.
Another round of County Championship fixtures got underway yesterday. My attention is focussed on Surrey v Sussex (aka the James Southerton derby – that worthy, a slow bowler who also holds the record for being the oldest ever test debutant – 49 years 119 days old on day one of the inaugural test match in 1877, took advantage of a loophole in the qualification system to habitually play for both counties, one being the county of his birth and the other that of his residence), which forms the text part of this post.
DAY ONE
I missed the entire morning session due to a committee meeting of the West Norfolk Autism Group, and joined the coverage at the start of the afternoon session, with Sussex at that point on 105-7, Jordan Clark 5-16. The afternoon and evening both belonged to Sussex as the pitch flattened out and their lower order batted very impressively. Fynn Hudson-Prentice was the first star with a fluent 50, but he was to be overshadowed by Jack Carson and Oliver Edward Robinson. Carson, an off spinner who can bat, and Robinson, a medium pacer who is also Sussex’s current captain and can bat, each had one previous first class century when they came together. They over doubled the score from 167-8 to 340-9 before Carson fell for 105. Robinson took a blow and was injured, but batted on until a six took him to 100 not out and Sussex to 358-9, at which point he declared, hoping for an early wicket or two before the close. In the event Surrey got through without losing a wicket.
GALLERY ONE
This gallery comes with a preamble – I walked through Kettlewell Lane Park at about 8:30AM yesterday, and all was as it should have been. I walked back through that little park about five hours later and saw that a large number of bushes, in all of which I had previously photographed insects, had been cut down, and only a few survivors left.
The first picture showing the devastation at Kettlewell Lane Park – this wall was lined with bushes. The same story further along – the empty patch on the far side of the path was covered in bushes.There were many more bushes in this are as well.
DAY TWO
Today so far has belonged to Surrey. At the time I started this post they had lost only one wicket, Burns bowled by Crocombe for 77. Ryan Patel has just gone to a catch by Hughes off Carson for 67. Dominic Sibley, the immovable object at the top of the Surrey order, has just completed a century, his second off the season, off 236 balls, while Ollie Pope is newly arrived at the crease. Surrey are now 264-2 a mere 94 behind Sussex’s first innings total. The weather has just become questionable down in London (it is still splendid here in Norfolk, though rain is expected tomorrow morning, just in time for GEAR (The Great East Anglian Run). I hope the weather does not do too much damage to this match.
aspiblog 