Captain Ralphie Albert led the way with 4/11 as Surrey finished the first day of their Second XI Championship match against Kent in a strong position
The Three Feathers finished the day on 88/3 after earlier bowling Kent out for 224.
Seb Stuart-Reckling led the way for Surrey, taking two wickets inside the opening five overs. Birdi was the first bat to go; bowled four balls into the game with a full inswinging delivery that beat the bat. At the end of the fifth, fellow opener Harby was well caught by Ollie Hunt at mid-wicket.
Joey Evison (24) and Ollie Morgan (94) took the score to 75 before the third wicket fell as Evison played one shot too many to hand Jack Martin his only wicket of the day. Oliver Curtiss gifted Stuart-Reckling his third wicket with a chip to mid-off.
Kent’s wicketkeeper batter Morgan continued to play his shots from the other end, moving to his half-century from 85 balls with his side 134/4. Burgess was next to depart for 6 as George McCloughlin trapped him LBW.
Captain Ralphie Albert entered the attack in the 53rd over with the score 190/6. The innings was wrapped up 15 overs later as Albert wreaked havoc, taking 4/11 from eight overs that included five maidens.
Albert found the shoulder of Arav Nair’s bat with the first ball of his spell, with Ollie Sykes running around from slip to take the catch. Sykes took a simple catch to dismiss Morgan. Captain Albert was in the action as Yousef Majid picked up the wicket of Shazil Malik before Albert wrapped up the innings as Singh and Faheem were also caught by Sykes as Kent finished with 224.
Josh Blake and Nik Gorantla (22) got Surrey off the a solid start, taking the score to 64 before playing on to his stumps. Sykes added 11 before he was caught in the covers, with Ralphie Albert trapped lbw with the next ball. Ollie Hunt (3*) and Josh Blake (46*) safely negotiated the final few overs to take Surrey to 88/3 at stumps.
Surrey are without five Academy players for this fixture, with Alex Dodson, Marley Simpson, Alfie Haxton, Fergus de Mestre and Roan Kennedy all representing London & East U18s in the ECBs Super 4s fixture.
