Surrey leave Durham with mountain to climb
On and on went big bad Dom. Past 200, past his highest previous score, past 250 and, with a sprinted single that left him spreadeagled in the Oval dust, to 300.
Sibley clambered to his feet, raised his bat and soaked up the warm applause for a mammoth effort of concentration: 28 fours, two sixes and 472 balls of toil as the mercury rose. He joins an elite club of triple-centurions for Surrey at the Oval, in Mark Ramprakash, Kevin Pietersen, Bobby Abel, Jack Hobbs and Tom Hayward. At the other end, Dan Lawrence shimmied 174 and Will Jacks 119 as Surrey set their record first-class score, finally putting Durham out of their misery at 820 for nine.
Alex Lees, who had won the toss on Sunday morning and chosen to field, then had to pad up. He was unbeaten on 33 at stumps, though lost his opening partner Emilio Gay early, bowled behind his pads. The Durham off-spinner George Drissell found himself in the firing line – his 45 overs cost 247, the most runs conceded by a bowler in the championship.
Elsewhere, first-innings runs flowed in brutal temperatures; in fact the 4,508 runs scored across the first innings of the nine games is the most in a round of matches ever. Kent finally declared on 566 for eight, bolstered by hundreds for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Harry Finch against Northamptonshire.
Jake Libby’s undefeated 228, the second double century of his career, carried Worcestershire to 679 for seven declared, whereupon Hampshire suddenly collapsed to 68 for three. But that was nothing on Leicestershire’s wobble. After finally dismissing Middlesex for 534, they found themselves 103 for eight, with the teenage seamer Naavya Sharma providing the gilt braiding with four wickets in 11 balls.
Yorkshire rattled through Essex in the morning, their reward batting against Simon Harmer bowling in the dust as a warm wind doused Clifton Park like a hairdryer. The run rate slunk under three an over all day, even with Jonny Bairstow at the crease. Ben Slater’s 116 not out propped up Nottinghamshire on an afternoon when Somerset’s Jack Leach wheeled through 25 overs.
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Time for a cold flannel and a colder drink. Well played everyone who battled away in the furnace, especially Dom Sibley for that Oval epic. Thanks for your company, and see you tomorrow when it promises to be cooler. Bye!
