Surrey go into the final day at Chelmsford, in the LVCC Division 2 match against Essex, needing 5 more wickets for victory, after being bowled out for 286.
The morning started with Zander de Bruyn unbeaten on 40 and Jason Roy joining him after the loss of Maynard off the last ball of day two. The pair started the morning well with Roy playing in his usual mode, hitting Graham Napier onto the commentary box roof for six. But Roy didn’t last much longer when Napier had him caught behind for 16. And after scoring just 1, Gareth Batty was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Masters and at 128-6, Essex had got off to the perfect start.
However, Chris Jordan joined de Bruyn, with the latter bringing up his fifty shortly after Batty’s wicket, off of just 58 balls. As in the first innings, Jordan looked accomplished at the crease playing in a more aggressive manner as his innings went on. And as the score went past 178, the 50 partnership was brought up, a vital won for Surrey to get a decent first innings lead.
The pair didn’t stop there though, playing an array of shots around the ground, taking Surrey to lunch on 227-6, with de Bruyn on 96. However, Jordan was first to bring up a milestone, his second fifty of the match off of 82 balls, considerably quicker than his 111 balls in the 1st innings. And de Bruyn brought up a fantastic hundred, his 4th of the season, off of 121 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes, and Surrey were leading by over 300. However, de Bruyn failed to add any more to his total before he was bowled by David Masters. Stuart Meaker came to the crease and looked positive straight away, leading his team towards a lead of 350.
But Meaker went for 13 when he was bowled by Tom Craddock and Tim Linley followed for 0 when Masters bowled him for his sixth wicket. Jordan wasn’t finished and went past his highest first class score, which was set in the first innings, and was on 79 when number 11 Pragyan Ojha was run out without scoring. Surrey 286 all out and 349 for Essex to win.
Tim Linley and Chris Jordan opened up and found their line and length straight away, not allowing Godleman and Westley to get off to a quick start. And Linley got his just rewards when Westley attempted to leave a ball and was bowled for 16. And not long after, just like the 1st innings, Linley produced a brilliant ball to bowl Owais Shah for just 8 and Essex were in trouble, heading into tea on 50-2.
After bowling tightly before tea, Pragyan Ojha had his first wicket of the innings, 20 minutes after the resumption, when Jaik Mickleburgh looked to whip the Indian into the leg side, but found a leading edge and Gareth Batty took a good catch at deep mid off. And Ojha had 2 in quick succession when he trapped Adam Wheater lbw for 1. Essex 78-4, and in danger of losing tonight.
And it got worse when Tim Linley replaced Stuart Meaker, and immediately found the edge of Billy Godleman’s bat, who played patiently for his 38. Surrey, looking for more wickets, came up against the skipper, James Foster, and Ryan ten Doeschate, who batted well for the last ten overs of the day before bad light ended the day with Essex on 142-5, needing 207 more to win.
Surrey will be happy with the day’s play, and know that early wickets are the key tomorrow, but need to be wary of Essex, who have nothing to lose.
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