County Championship: Ollie Pope & Ben Foakes star for Surrey against Leicestershire
- Published
Ollie Pope has a batting average of just over 50 in first-class cricket
LV= County Championship Group Two, Kia Oval, London (day two): |
Leicestershire 375: Evans 138, Hill 70, Azad 55; Clark 3-52 |
Surrey 253-3: Pope 92*, Foakes 68*; Griffiths 2-44 |
Surrey (4 pts) trail Leicestershire (5 pts) by 122 runs |
England pair Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes both scored unbeaten half-centuries to put Surrey in a strong position on day two of their County Championship match against Leicestershire.
Pope (92 not out) and Foakes (68 not out) put on 160 for the fourth wicket as Surrey closed on 253-3 at The Oval.
Earlier, Leicestershire were all out for 375 in their first innings after starting the day on 215-3.
Sam Evans was out for 138, while Lewis Hill (70) also contributed.
Evans resumed on exactly 100 and took Leicestershire to 298-3 in a fourth-wicket stand of 122 with Hill.
But, when opener Evans was bowled by Surrey spinner Amar Virdi, it triggered a collapse either side of lunch which saw Leicestershire lose their last seven wickets for 77.
Surrey were reduced to 93-3, with captain Rory Burns, Mark Stoneman and Hashim Amla all making starts before falling.
However, 23-year-old Pope and wicketkeeper Foakes batted for the whole final session, with Foakes hoping to make it two successive centuries following his innings of 133 in the defeat by Gloucestershire.
Surrey and West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach:
"The guys are upbeat in the dressing room. We did well to bowl Leicestershire out and then, although we lost some early wickets it was great to see Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes get together in that partnership. We are in control of the game, we feel.
"I've played against Ollie for West Indies, of course. He's one of the England batsmen we have talked about a lot as a team. He has age very much on his side and will go on to be a great player I'm sure."
Leicestershire opener Sam Evans:
"It was a pretty proud moment when I got to my hundred at the end of the first day. Something I had dreamed about for years and years growing up with Leicestershire.
"But I soon switched back on this morning. Lewis Hill and myself set ourselves to get through the first hour. We did that, but then we are a bit disappointed as a team to get bowled out for 375 in the end. There were a few soft dismissals."