Rory Burns’ century keeps Surrey alive in the game after taking a following-on second innings lead against Glamorgan.
Surrey’s captain played a timely knock to make 115, making sure the hosts bat again on day four to force a result on a gradually moving day of importance for the visitors. Ending the day on 398 for 9, just seven wickets fell on the third day in the blazing sunshine as the pitch offered little for bowlers.
Despite being nine wickets down, Surrey’s two nightwatchers allowed for a lengthened batting order with Tom Lawes – Gus Atkinson’s replacement – and Jordan Clark following Ryan Patel and Adam Thomas in the final four positions of the order.
Ryan Hadley’s 3 for 69 was the stand out for Glamorgan, removing Ryan Patel and Adam Thomas late on a long summer solstice day to ensure a target wouldn’t get too far away until the stubborn false tail frustrated with 56 unbeaten for the final wicket at the close.
The sun beating down on Sophia Gardens, a 30-over old ball and Timm van der Gugten being leant on with ease at 11am was a sign of a long day in the field for Glamorgan.
The successful nightwatcher Rahul Chahar helped to combine with Burns for 76 with two straight sixes teased and obliged from Crane tossing leggies up after Sean Abbott was dismissed on the evening on day two.
The captain was allowed to then pass 50 with ease and build towards a first century since August 2024 with three sweeps in the over against the leg-spinner.
The new ball still troubled very little until Burns was strangled down the leg off Norton, before Sam Curran got dismissed for one.
With wickets falling in pairs commonly, it was time for another partnership to follow the century added from Burns and Ollie Pope. The latter then stuck out with Ryan Patel to improve on his first innings work until he was next to fell, chipping Crane to mid-off straight after tea.
The earlier nightwatchers meant the extended batters in tailender positions allowed Surrey’s lower order to score, with Thomas and Patel both falling while set to Hadley in his final Glamorgan outing was a fitting way for his efforts to end before Clark and Lawes resisted for the final 12 overs.
