Surrey and Nottinghamshire finished with eight points each as the LV=County Championship match at Trent Bridge ended as a draw. Stuart Meaker took 5-78 as the home side were all out for 328. And Rory Burns with 79 and Jason Roy with 83 set the platform for Surrey to finish on 252-6 and secure two valuable batting points.
Play started on time and Nottinghamshire resumed on 178-5 in their first innings. Chris Read drove the opening ball of the morning from Chris Jordan for four and after waiting for 48 hours the Nottinghamshire captain moved to his fifty.
At the other end Adams Voges looked solid and together they took their partnership past 100 and secured the home side’s first batting point. Voges joined his captain in moving to fifty but Jon Lewis then made the breakthrough when he trapped Voges for 59 to leave Nottinghamshire 229-6.
Surrey had a second bowling point but Ben Phillips joined Read and played attractively as they took Nottinghamshire past 250. The 7th wicket partnership went past fifty and Read moved towards a second Championship hundred of the summer. But Stuart Meaker then bowled Read for 98 and Nottinghamshire went to lunch with the scoreboard reading 307-7.
After lunch Meaker had Andre Adams caught by Jason Roy for 14 and two balls later he had Phillips caught by Burns for 57 to claim his fifth wicket of the innings. And Nottinghamshire were all out for 328 when Murali Kartik dismissed Adam Carter without scoring.
Zafar Ansari and Rory Burns began Surrey’s reply in solid fashion. The new opening pair showed great patience and technique in the face of an excellent Nottinghamshire attack. Burns played neatly of his legs and Ansari looked in control as they took Surrey past fifty.
Together they negated the threat of Andre Adams and Burns moved to a very accomplished maiden Championship fifty from 82 deliveries with five boundaries. They guided Surrey safely though to tea with the scoreboard reading 83-0 with Ansari 31* and Burns unbeaten on 52.
Straight after the break Carter bowled Ansari for 31 to leave Surrey 85-1. Jason Roy came to the crease on his birthday and dominated straight away. He played aggressively and the scoreboard began to tick as Roy picked up Gurney and put him over midwicket for six.
The partnership began to develop as Roy dominated the scoring allowing Burns to play solidly at the other end. Roy raced to fifty in just 37 deliveries and reached the milestone in the grandest manner when he put Samit Patel into the Radcliffe Road Stand for 6.
Burns had moved to 79 when he was bowled by Andre Adams to bring his very fine innings to an end. And two balls later Adams had Zander de Bruyn caught down the legside without scoring to leave Surrey 167-3.
Adams was in a lovely rhythm from the Pavilion End and he had a third wicket when Steven Davies was caught by Voges at slip for 3. But Roy was continuing to play sublimely and took Surrey past 200, securing a second batting point.
Roy was illustrating his full repertoire of shots and he reverse swept Patel for consecutive sixes to move onto 83. But he then looked for another maximum and was stumped to bring his excellent effort to an end.
And Surrey were 216-6 when Matthew Spriegel dragged Adams back onto his stumps and was bowled for 17. There was still work to do for Surrey to secure an important second batting point but Meaker and Jordan played very sensibly and with three balls of the game remaining Meaker pulled Carter to the boundary to take Surrey past 250.
An excellent effort with both bat and ball on the final day at Trent Bridge and Surrey despite being frustrated by the weather will be satisfied with their eight points from the game.
