Surrey shocked by record defeat
Surrey suffered a calamitous tumble down the staircase of fortune as the locked-in Championship favourites were beaten by an innings and 278 runs by Hampshire, their largest hiding in a Championship match. Felix Organ (five for 104) and Liam Dawson (four for 45) ripped through the Surrey card with feisty forties from Dans Worrall and Lawrence the only real resistance, save for a stoical 19 not out off 107 balls from Ben Foakes, who’d spent the last two days on the physio’s table. “I hope this is a one-off,” said Surrey head coach Gareth Batty afterwards, “I would be very disappointed if it is not.”
Warwickshire slowly clenched the glove at Old Trafford as Lancashire collapsed to 149 all out, losing six for 36 either side of lunch - including Keaton Jennings, lbw for a limpet-like 36. The unlikely destroyers were spinners Jacob Bethell (a career-best four for 20) and Jake Lintott (a career best three for 10). It was the third time Lancashire had been dismissed for less than 150 in their first innings this season. Warwickshire then built a lead of 231 with some flowing panache from Ed Barnard and Dan Mousley, before thunder, lighting and rain brought the players off.
Kent battered down the hatches till the last over of the day at Canterbury, keeping Essex at bay with eighties from Joe Denly and Harry Finch and a career-best 48 from nightwatchman Matt Parkinson. There were five wickets for Matt Critchley, but Essex were hamstrung by the absence of the injured Sam Cook. Essex lead by 197 going into the final day. Runs continued to flow at Lord’s, Sam Robson and Ryan Higgins both made centuries as Middlesex eyed up Sussex’s 554-9dec.
Rain truncated play at Bristol, where James Bracey (137) and Graeme van Buuren (156) added 156 in 21 overs with a smash and grab attack on the Derbyshire new ball before the rain fell. Their stand of 268 overhauled the previous Gloucestershire record for the fifth wicket, held by WG Grace and William Moberly.
Rotten weather also at The County Ground where Yorkshire captain Shan Masood picked up a wrist injury but bombasted a boundary heavy 82 not out to give Yorkshire a lead of 217 over Northamptonshire. At Grace Road, Leicestershire declared 44 in arrears after a puzzling period of play when their scoring rate almost ground to a halt. There was time for Glamorgan’s Billy Root to be bowled by Matt Salisbury before the umbrellas opened. There was no play at all at New Road.
Updated
Quite the shellacking for Surrey, which makes everything a lot more interesting! Chucking it down here at OT and time to go. We’ll be back tomorrow for the last day of Championship cricket for a while. Have a lovely evening.
