Surrey v Middlesex: Scott Borthwick leads hosts' resistance in London derby
- Published
Scott Borthwick made his only Test appearance for England against Australia at Sydney on 2014
Bob Willis Trophy, Kia Oval (day two): |
Middlesex 347-6 dec: Gubbins 192, Simpson 53; Clarke 3-48 |
Surrey 189-3: Borthwick 73*, Stoneman 45 |
Middlesex (4 pts) lead Surrey (2 pts) by 158 runs |
Scott Borthwick's four-hour unbeaten 73 anchored Surrey's 189-3 in the Bob Willis Trophy's London derby at the Kia Oval after Nick Gubbins made 192 in Middlesex's 347-6 declared.
Borthwick was joined in stands of 71, 69 and then an unbroken 40 that occupied almost 24 overs by Mark Stoneman, Will Jacks and Jamie Smith as Surrey's top order battled hard on a sluggish pitch that did not make strokeplay a straightforward business.
Stoneman's 45 took him 88 balls, with nine fours - three of them in one Tim Murtagh over - while Jacks played the punchiest innings of day two with 36 from 50 balls, including a six and five fours.
Wicketkeeper Smith, though, took a long time to get going, with Nathan Sowter's leg spin proving particularly hard to score from with just 22 runs coming from his 11 overs.
After facing 44 balls, Smith still only had a single to his name but, to his credit, he refused to get flustered and, by stumps, had fought his way to 15 not out.
Borthwick, who batted throughout the afternoon and evening sessions and faced 183 balls, hitting 10 fours, played with great determination and did not play a false shot until he flapped at a short ball from Miguel Cummins on 50 and was fortunate to see it drop to the turf midway between the slips and third man.
Match report supplied by PA Media.