Worcestershire v Surrey: Shantry keeps Worcs victory hopes alive

Shantry has now scored 437 runs this season

Worcestershire fast bowler Jack Shantry blazed a superb maiden first-class century at New Road to offer hopes of an unlikely win against Division Two promotion rivals Surrey.

Beginning the day on 12-0, still 122 behind, the home side looked in deep trouble on 171-7 - just 37 runs ahead.

But Shantry smashed an unbeaten 101 in 86 balls, sharing a 108-run eighth-wicket stand with Joe Leach (50).

With Worcestershire all out for 350, Surrey, set 217 to win, closed on 30-1.

McClenaghan struck an early blow by trapping Rory Burns cheaply, but former Worcestershire skipper Vikram Solanki looked in ominously good form.

Although he did have one life when put down by keeper Ben Cox, he hit three fours as he reached the close on 21, partnered by opener Zafar Ansari, who has so far laboured to just three off 37 deliveries.

Having finished 134 behind on first innings, Worcestershire's problems again looked all of their own making in the morning session, as they went to lunch on 120-4, losing all four wickets to attacking leg-side shots.

Most frustrated had to be England's Moeen Ali, on the day he was rewarded with a central contract.

He followed up his first-innings 54 with another half-century but then, after sweeping Worcestershire old-boy Gareth Batty for six in successive deliveries, he tried to repeat the shot and was trapped leg before wicket to the off spinner's quicker ball.

On another blazingly hot day at New Road, wickets continued to tumble after lunch until Shantry and fellow Shropshire lad Leach got stuck into the Surrey attack.

Even after Leach departed, Shantry continued his spirited plunder, in a 61-run ninth-wicket stand with fellow left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan (23).

But, after hitting 18 fours and two sixes to reach his century - surpassing his previous best of 55 not out against Northants, also at New Road last summer - the Worcestershire innings came to a rapid end.

Jade Dernbach (4-72) accounted for McClenaghan and Charlie Morris in the space of three balls to leave the eager Shantry stranded and Surrey chasing 217 to win.

But, after taking his tally of Championship wickets to 50 for the first time the previous day, Shantry still had cause to reflect even more proudly on a knock that has taken his run tally to a very healthy 437 for the season - at 29.13.