Surrey stay on course for win at Worcester
Kashif Ali's half century came on his return to Worcestershire's Championship team
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Visit Worcestershire New Road (day three)
Surrey 490: Lawrence 175, Smith 86, Sibley 76, Foakes 52; T Taylor 3-99
Worcestershire 212: Libby 77; J Taylor 3-19, Lawrence 3-49 & 207-5: Kashif Ali 66, Roderick 63; Clark 3-31
Worcestershire (2 pts) trail Surrey (7 pts) by 71 runs with five second-innings wickets remaining
County champions Surrey remained on course to claim a fifth red-ball win of the season despite prolonged resistance from Worcestershire half-centurions Gareth Roderick and Kashif Ali.
The County Championship Division One leaders achieved their first objective in claiming the final three Worcestershire first-innings wickets in the morning session as the Pears were bowled out for 212, despite resistance from Jake Libby (77), Ben Allison (21) and Adam Finch (27).
With a lead of 278, Surrey duly enforced the follow-on and then removed Libby second time around for 28 going for an expansive drive as he was bowled via an inside edge to become the first of three wickets for Jordan Clark.
Roderick and Kashif then dug in to add 135 from 34 overs in relatively untroubled fashion for the second wicket.
They completed their century stand off 167 balls, but three wickets then fell in three overs to turn the game firmly back in Surrey's favour in the final session.
First Roderick edged Clark and was caught low down at slip, then seven balls later Kashif went to pull England contender Gus Atkinson and lobbed up a simple catch to square leg.
Worse was to follow for the Pears when Rob Jones went for a duck in the next over to complete a slump from 168-1 to 172-4.
But there was only one more wicket before the close when Ethan Brookes nicked through to England keeper Ben Foakes.
The hosts will resume again in the morning on 207-5, with Adam Hose on 20 and Matthew Waite on five as winless Worcestershire bid to avoid a third defeat in eight games.
Worcestershire wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick told BBC Hereford & Worcester:
“It was a long day. We’ve been behind the game since day one. We are trying to hang in there and make it as tough as we can for them.
“They are a quality side, a quality bowling attack and they made it really hard for us on a wicket that a little bit too offer.
“When you see them get as many runs as they do, you think you should do the same. Just disappointed myself and Kashif couldn’t carry on.
Surrey bowling coach Jade Dernbach:
“Pre-tea we were all over them and there were edges and balls flying off gloves left right and centre and it just didn’t go to hand.
“We stuck to it quite well in bashing the top of the stumps but when two set batters are in, we know we have the firepower to change strategy and tactic.
“Rory Burns does that very well and that is why he is the best in the game in terms of reading it and we got a few just rewards in the end.”