GUILDFORD (third day of four): Surrey 369 v Worcestershire 217 & 46-0
Despite a brilliant 58 from wicket keeper Steve Davies, Worcestershire face an uphill task if they are to avoid defeat against Surrey at Guildford. Worcestershire enter into the final day trailing Surrey by 106 runs with all their second innings wickets left.
Davies was in resilient form and struck his half century from 97 balls with nine fours but he was the only batsman to defy a superb bowling performance from the Surrey attack with seven wickets shared between Harbhajan Singh (4-64) and Matt Nicholson (three for 43).
Needing 220 to avoid the follow on, Worcestershire fell just three runs shot and, after being asked to follow on, the visitors quickly scored 46 without loss with Stephen Moore and Phil Jaques unbeaten on 31 and 12 respectively before bad light brought an abrupt end to the day’s play.
After resuming on 347 for eight overnight, Worcestershire quickly snapped up the final two wickets as first Harbhajan went for 14 giving Gareth Batty his fourth wicket of the innings. Then Batty took a brilliant diving catch at second slip off the bowling of Kabir Ali to dismiss Neil Saker for 1 as Surrey were dismissed for 369.
Worcestershire who have not played four-day cricket for five weeks got off to the worst possible start as opener Phil Jaques fell in the third over. Jaques having played a superb straight drive in the first over was trapped leg before wicket off the bowling of fellow Australian Matt Nicholson, beaten by a fell length in-swinger.
Captain Vikram Solanki looked in majestic form and played a couple of sweetly timed cover drives before he became Nicholson’s second victim for 13. The right-handed batsman just about managed to dig out a yorker but saw the ball fly off the edge to Rikki Clarke at slip.
The introduction of Harbhajan in the 14th over saw the Indian spinner soon take the wicket of Ben Smith who was caught at slip off a defensive push and he then followed that up with the wicket of Stephen Moore after a resilient 31.
Graeme Hick struck seven fours in his 30 before he fell in the 33rd over giving Jonathan Batty a simple catch behind the stumps from an attempted drive to leave the visitors struggling on 98 for five.
A 43-run stand between Gareth Batty and Davies was broken when Batty (18) fell to a brilliant catch by Mark Butcher at leg slip in the 45th over. Seven runs later Roger Sillence (6) went in Saker’s first over in his second spell.
Kabir Ali was fortunate to survive when on seven as an attempted drive flew straight to mid-on where Saker dropped a routine catch. The left- hander then took advantage of some wayward bowling with a quick-fire 21, edged his side closing to the magical follow on figure of 220. However, the returning Chris Schofield trapped him leg before in the 62nd over as he looked to sweep the leg-spinner. This left Worcestershire struggling on 187-8 but Davies then went to his fifty with a delightful cover drive boundary.
Unfortunately for the visitors with nine runs still needed, Davies was then beaten by the spin of Harbhajan who enticed the left-hander to push forward and the ball went off the edge to Clarke who took a good catch low to his left.
With the final two batsman at the crease, both Doug Bollinger and Dewald Nel sensibly pushed the ball around edging closer to the 220 needed. Bollinger did survive another dropped catch by Saker when on seven but after adding just one more run, the left-hander was clean bowled by Chris Schofield.
