DAY THREE - CLOSE OF PLAY
SURREY 234 - 6
Lead by 356 runs
Surrey bowled and batted themselves into a commanding position on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship London derby with Sam Curran impressing with bat and ball at a sun-drenched Lord’s. The teenaged all-rounder took four wickets in the morning session, then scored an unbeaten half-century in the evening period as Surrey closed 356 ahead with four second innings wickets remaining.
Curran’s 13-ball burst of three wickets for four runs helped Surrey take a 122-run first-innings lead which they extended handsomely despite a similar flurry of wickets by Middlesex’s Toby Roland-Jones. The England squad bowler took three for none in seven balls, including Zafar Ansari and Aaron Finch for ducks, as Surrey subsided from 47-0 to 47-4 in mid-afternoon. While Finch is always a key wicket the most important was Roland-Jones’s first as Rory Burns looked in excellent form only to chop onto his own stumps for 39.
The clatter of wickets raised home hopes of being in a position to chase a moderate target as Surrey’s lead was then only 169. However, Jason Roy (37) restored the primacy of the bat with a series of boundaries before Curran and Ben Foakes took the game away from Middlesex. As the shadows lengthened the pair added an unbeaten 126 for the seventh-wicket in 156 minutes.
Wicketkeeper Foakes, who made a first-innings half-century, doubled up with 50 not out to total 113 runs in the match so far without dismissal, underscoring his value, but it was Curran who dominated their stand. The 18-year-old scored all around the wicket as he hit 71, his highest first-class score, off 146 balls with eight fours.
In the morning he and brother Tom had required less than an hour to polish Middlesex off with the second new ball. Resuming at 249-5 Middlesex quickly lost the overnight batsmen James Franklin (17) and John Simpson (58), the pair adding one and six runs respectively. With Sam Curran taking 4-20 in the session to finish with 4-60 and Tom Curran chipping in with the wicket of James Harris to take 2-66, Middlesex were dismissed seven runs shy of a third batting bonus point.
Results elsewhere mean Middlesex will remain championship leaders regardless of how this fixture ends but failure to secure eight points for a draw would leave their advantage perilously slim as both Yorkshire and Durham have a game in hand. Surrey, meanwhile, have done much in recent weeks to enhance their chances of securing their reclaimed First Division status and will hope to push on to their third victory of the season. To do so, however, they will have to inflict a first defeat this summer on this Middlesex side.
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DAY THREE - TEA
SURREY 2ND INNS: 142 -6
SURREY 2ST INNS: 415
MIDDLESEX 1ST INNS: 293
Surrey lead by 264 runs
Middlesex are likely to face a demanding fourth-innings target to defeat neighbours Surrey in their Specsavers County Championship match at Lord’s despite a three-wicket burst from Toby Roland-Jones that threatened to undermine the Surrey innings.
The England hopeful took three for none in seven balls, including Aaron Finch and Zafar Ansari for ducks, as Surrey slid from 47-0 to 47-4 in mid-afternoon on the third day.
However, Jason Roy, backing up his first innings century with a bright 37, and Sam Curran (20 not out), helped Surrey move to 142-6, 264 runs ahead, at tea.
In the morning Curran and brother Tom had ripped through Middlesex’s lower order to earn Surrey a 122-run first-innings advantage.
Taking the second new ball soon after the start of play Sam captured four wickets, including a spell of three for four runs in 13 balls, and Tom one as Middlesex collapsed from 249-5 overnight to 293 all out. That gave Surrey the maximum eight bonus points but leaders Middlesex only five.
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DAY THREE - LUNCH
SURREY 2ND INNS: 18 - 0
SURREY 1ST INNS: 415
MIDDLESEX 1st INNS: 293
Surrey lead by 139 runs
A devastating spell with the second new ball by Sam Curran put Surrey into a strong position on the third morning of this London derby.
Bowling from the Nursery End the teenager took 4-20, including a spell of three wickets for four runs in 13 balls, as Middlesex folded from 249-5 overnight to 293 all out.
With brother Tom also picking up a wicket Surrey took a 122-run first-innings advantage over the Specsavers County Championship leaders.
Batting carefully Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley extended the lead by a further 17 runs in the dozen overs remaining before lunch.
At the start of play Sibley bowled one over with the old ball then the Curran brothers took over with the new one.
Sam Curran bowled James Franklin then trapped John Simpson (58) and Toby Roland-Jones leg before. After Tom Curran had James Harris taken at slip Ollie Rayner was caught behind chasing a wide one to end the innings seven runs shy of a third
