Pope century takes Surrey to victory
Imperious back-to-back sixes by Ollie Pope, played with a comic in one hand and a mitre in the other, flicked Hampshire into the dark corners of the Oval among the dust and the crisp packets, and hurtled Surrey to victory by nine wickets. It was the chocolate frosting on top of a delicious hundred, full of brio and skill, and, alongside an energetic 79 from Dom Sibley, transformed a game which had been tight with toing and froing over the first three days.
Hampshire have been here before. Pope has now made six hundreds against them, five at the Oval, and this innings brings his average in first-class cricket at his home ground back up to 99.62. Surrey had kept the pressure on in the morning, dismissing the remaining five Hampshire batters in 22 overs, Dan Worrall finishing with five for 40.
The chase of 243 might, on paper, have been tight against the trickiest bowling attack in the Championship. Rory Burns and Sibley blunted early promise, however, and Pope’s arrival transformed the tempo: snapped cuts, dancing drives and one six hit with his backside to the bowler back over the wicketkeeper’s head. He kissed his Surrey badge on reaching his hundred to a standing ovation from a good crowd, and signed a young boy’s autograph book as he climbed the pavilion steps with victory in his pocket.
At Edgbaston, Kent were thwarted at the last after an unflappable performance by the tail was finally defeated with just six overs of the match to go and the light quickly disappearing. At 99 for seven following-on, Warwickshire’s victory had looked assured, but Ben Compton and the No 9, the 21-year-old Joey Evison, added a hundred in 25 overs – only parted in the first over after tea. From there Evison and Conor McKerr, on loan from Surrey, were in touching distance before McKerr was superbly caught and Evison nicked Hasan Ali behind on 99.
At Trent Bridge, Somerset subsided to a 165-run defeat, despite losing one day to rain. Their bowlers gave them early hope after polishing off Nottinghamshire in the first six overs of the day. Lewis Gregory added four wickets to pocket 11 in the game. But with a target of 295 in their heads, wickets fell like spring raindrops, with only James Rew passing 20. Stuart Broad grabbed two top-order wickets and Dane Paterson five for 46.
It was the tale of two innings at Chelmsford, after a pop‑gun explosion of hitting from Lancashire in the morning session was matched by an afternoon of stonewalling from Essex. Tom Hartley (73 not out), Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Bailey thwacked nine sixes before the lunch declaration. There was time for Sir Alastair Cook to be out lbw to Jimmy Anderson for the second time in the match before Essex dropped anchor and Tom Westley ensured they would avoid defeat.
Matthew Kuhnemann bowled Durham to victory against Worcestershire, Leicestershire drew with Derbyshire, and Northamptonshire cruised to a seven‑wicket win against Middlesex.
With the groundsmen spraying The Oval veld, time to slip away. A privilege to watch that innings from Ollie Pope. Congratulations to Surrey, Northants, Notts, Warwickshire and Durham. Commiserations in particular to Kent, who got so close to safety. Joey Evison, chapeau. Thanks for your company over the last four days, we’re back on Thursday. Good night!
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