It was the turn of Surrey’s bowlers to put in the hard yards on the second day of this pre-season friendly at The Kia Oval, with Middlesex ending on 328/5.
The visiting skipper Stevie Eskinazi was the star of the day, making 103 runs in the middle order.
After declaring on their overnight score of 358/9, Surrey took to the field immediately and it was there that they remained throughout the 90 overs of play. Although, as pictured above, the sub-temperate conditions didn’t necessarily lend themselves to a summer sport.
Jamie Overton & Matt Dunn took the new ball before Gus Atkinson & spinner Amar Virdi continued after 10 overs. It was second change bowler Jordan Clark who made the breakthrough though, beating Sam Robson all ends up for 25.
Liam Plunkett was able to add to the wickets column in the penultimate over before lunch, strangling Nick Gubbins down the leg side and seeing Ben Foakes take a stunning but unsurprising catch behind the stumps.
More than an hour of the second session passed before the third Middlesex wicket fell, that of Max Holden caught behind off the bowling of Gus Atkinson for 79. Eskinazi and youngster Robbie White settled in for a partnership of 119 before a mix up and some neat work from Mark Stoneman saw the former run out.
One brings two and Virdi was the bowler this time, bringing White on to his front foot and trapping him lbw for 58 from around the wicket.
That was the last wicket of a day that will have helped many gear up for the LV= County Championship season, that starts at Gloucestershire on Thursday 8th April.
You can view a full scorecard here.
Sunday sees the final day of pre-season match action for both sides, with a live stream to be available on kiaoval.com.
