Ben Foakes showed breathtaking skill to remove Notts’ centurion of day two Will Young for a magnificent 145, but the visitors, helped by 50 from all-rounder Lyndon James reached 399 all out, while Sean Abbott was the pick of the home bowlers with 3-85.
Surrey lost their first wicket without any runs on the board, but from there on Dominic Sibley and Tom Latham began a brilliant 141-run partnership, wherein both the batters crossed the 50-run mark.
Sibley showed great composure and stitched together an innings of 83, while Tom Latham played fluently for his 60, but the loss of late wickets left the hosts 200-5, with a lead of 156.
Most of Nottinghamshire’s early batting impetus came from Tuesday’s nightwatcher Brett Hutton who plundered five boundaries before edging Jordan Clark to Tom Latham at second slip.
Young, having resumed 106 not out, forged on as he pulled Jamie Overton fiercely for four before sending the next delivering sailing over the ropes.
Something special would be needed to remove him and it was Will Jacks and Foakes who combined to provide the necessary inspiration.
Coming called into the attack, Young opted to reverse sweep Jack’s first ball. With Young’s bat in his eye line, Foakes brilliantly held on to the top edge and had the presence of mind to stump the Kiwi, who’d overbalanced playing the shot, just in case his brilliant catch had escaped notice. The result was the rare sight of a batter being sent on his way by both umpires simultaneously.
James pushed on to add a half-century to his career-best 6-74 in Surrey’s first dig, sharing a stand of 64 with Calvin Harrison.
Abbot removed James and Dane Paterson in successive balls as the visitors finished one shy of 400, Surrey failing to secure maximum batting points for the first time this season. Latham finished with five catches in the innings.
Burns fell lbw to Hutton for the second time in the match, thereafter though Notts’ attack, shorn of Ball’s services toiled for a time as Sibley and Latham looked untroubled.
Sibley unfurled a trio of off/cover drives in reaching 33 in his first 35 balls. Latham was less expansive, but the pair raised the century stand soon after tea before Sibley won the race to 50 helped by eight fours. Latham soon followed courtesy of six boundaries.
Latham was strangled out down the legside off Paterson and Jamie Smith missed out with the hosts exactly 100 ahead.
Sibley was dismissed sweeping Matthew Montgomery into the hands of Paterson on the deep mid-wicket fence, and Foakes was caught behind in the death throes of the day to ensure there’s everything to play for on day four.
“It’s gonna be a really important first hour and a really important first session.”
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 12, 2023
After an important innings, @Tomlatham2 spoke with @backandacross 🎤
🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/kC9eqKLnq5
