Rahul Chahar finished with four for 97 as Surrey bowled out Sussex for 393 on an absorbing second day in Hove, with Charlie Tear making his highest first-class score and Oli Carter and John Simpson making fifties.
After Tuesday’s washout, the chances of either side claiming the win, which would put any lingering relegation concerns in the Rothesay County Championship to bed, have decreased, but the match is far from complete after Tear’s 89 underpinned Sussex’s 393.
Both teams are playing two spinners, but it wasn’t until after tea that there was any appreciable assistance. Leg-spinner Chahar found support from fellow Indian Mahipal Lomror (left-arm spin), who claimed two for 74; the duo bowling 59 of the 104 overs for a combined return of 6 for 171.
22-year-old Tear caught the eye when he made 61 in a losing cause at the Kia Oval in May and here he settled down for four hours of risk-free accumulation and allowed his partners, particularly Carter and Simpson, to play more aggressively.
He added 99 in 23 overs for the third wicket with Carter and 79 for the fifth in 20 overs with Simpson and at 270 for 4, Sussex were in a strong position before Chahar sparked a Surrey fightback.
Tear only hit four boundaries, but in terms of holding the innings together he did a fine job, and it was a surprise when he tried to drive a ball from Chahar, who was into his 15th over, that pitched a yard outside off stump, and the edge flew to backward point.
Chahar struck again with a googly to beat Jack Leaning’s defensive shot and take out his off stump.
Then, with the new ball only six overs old, Chahar was brought back on and immediately pinned Jack Carson as he fatally played back.
Surrey had taken four wickets for 51 runs, but Ari Karvelas and Sean Hunt hit 65 together for the ninth wicket before Karvelas fell lbw to Lormor and the innings ended when Jaydev Unadkat was stumped off the last ball of the day.
Injuries to Tom Clark and Dan Hughes meant the hosts fielded a rejigged top order with opener George Thomas, who is joining Worcestershire at the end of the season, making his Championship debut.
And he shaped up well, with seven of his eight scoring shots going to the boundary before he fenced outside off stump once too often at the persevering Dan Worrall and Dom Sibley held a low catch at slip.
Lomror came on after just 40 minutes but it was seam that did the trick again for Surrey, Matthew Fisher switched ends and struck immediately when Tom Haines offered a simple catch off a leading edge.
Either side of lunch, the impressive Carter, in only his second Championship appearance of the season, refused to let the Surrey attack settle until Fisher, again benefitting from a change of ends, took his second return catch on the day with a low grab in his follow-through off Carter’s straight drive.
James Coles was struck lbw by Lomror full toss, but Simpson was in attacking mode from the start as he passed 50 for the fifth time this season before Worrall knocked back his off stump with the new ball.
