Surrey battle at Edgbaston

Surrey closed on 38-0 in their second innings after they were forced to follow on by Warwickshire on the third day at Edgbaston. Zafar Ansari (19) and Rory Burns (12) guided Surrey through 18 overs of the evening session after they were all out in their first innings for 286.

Surrey resumed on their overnight total of 109-1 but to the second ball of the morning Arun Harinath was caught behind off Keith Barker for 44. Burns began confidently off both front and back foot but Surrey were 122-3 when Zander de Bruyn was LBW to Chris Woakes for 3.

The players were forced back into the pavilion at 11:50 as rain started to fall in Birmingham but after a twenty minute delay play resumed. Surrey immediately lost Jason Roy without scoring as he was caught by Jim Troughton off the bowling of Woakes.

Another heavy shower meant lunch was taken with Surrey 131-4, Burns unbeaten on 68 and Steven Davies 2*. Play resumed at 14:00 but Davies became the fourth victim of the day when William Porterfield took a brilliant catch in the gully off Rikki Clarke and Davies departed for 12.

Burns continued to play with great maturity as Warwickshire tested him with the short ball. He showed excellent technique and judgement and moved surrey past 150 with Chris Jordan. But on 77 Burns looked to force Clarke off the back foot and a thin outside edge was taken by Richard Johnson to leave Surrey 158-6.

And Clarke had a third wicket in his spell when he trapped Jordan LBW for 15 and Surrey found themselves in deep trouble at 167-7. Gareth Batty was joined by Stuart Meaker and they secured a first batting point taking Surrey past 200.

Batty and Meaker played sensibly mixing resolute defence with controlled aggression and they took their partnership past 50 as Surrey went to tea with scoreboard reading 224-7. Straight after the break Warwickshire took the new ball and Barker immediately had Batty LBW for 28.

Meaker continued to play very well in the face of some hostile Warwickshire bowling and he was joined by Jon Lewis who played aggressively. Surrey registered a second batting point as a partnership for the ninth wicket developed.

With the score on 269 Meaker looked to cut Clarke but only found the safe hands of Porterfield in the gully and departed for a gutsy 41. Lewis continued to play his shots and Murali Kartik was subjected to a barrage of short pitched bowling from Clarke and Rankin. And Rankin finished the innings when he had Murali Kartik caught in the gully for 13.

Surrey all out for 286 and Warwickshire had no hesitation in enforcing the follow on with 18 overs of the day still remaining. As they had done in yesterday’s evening session Burns and Zafar Ansari began in solid fashion. Both showed excellent judgement as Warwickshire bowled aggressively.

Together Burns and Ansari guided Surrey though to stumps with the scoreboard reading 38-0. It was an excellent effort from the opening pair but they know there is more hard work to be done at Edgbaston on the final day.