Surrey’s Second XI amassed over 500 runs on the first day of their final Second XI Championship match of the 2025 season with Hampshire thanks to centuries from Ollie Hunt (178), Nik Gorantla (143) and Adam Thomas’ 96
Academy batter Ollie Hunt and Adam Thomas got the Three Feathers off to the perfect start at the Utilita Bowl. The pair moved past 100 with ease in the 15th over – an over that Adam Thomas took for 24.
Hunt – who made his first team debut in the Metro Bank One Day Cup win at Derby, moved to three figures from 108 balls in the 32nd over. The next target for the pair was the 200-run partnership, which they amassed in the 36th over.
Thomas fell an agonising four runs short of a century when Scott Currie bowled him with one that nipped away from the right-handed bat to leave Surrey 225/1 in the 39th over.
That wicket brought the stylish Nik Gorantla to the crease. The pair continued the momentum as Hunt brought up his 150 from 153 balls on the 50 over mark with Surrey 295/1.
Gorantla moved past 50 from 54 balls, with the pair taking the score to 336 before the left-handed Hunt was eventually dismissed for 178. Hunt was caught on the deep square boundary off the leg spin of Basey having faced 169 balls – putting on two huge partnerships with Adam Thomas (225 runs) and Nik Gorantla (111 runs). Hunt smashed an impressive 10 sixes to go along with his 21 fours.
Gorantla was joined by George Ealham, who helped him to three figures from 115 balls with the score 432/2 in the 75th over. An over late, the pair became the third successive pair to reach a three-figure partnership from 132 balls.
George Ealham was caught at cover after a thick outside edge off Currie for 45 to leave Surrey 470/3 in the 81st over. Gorantla was caught behind off the bowling of Kelly two overs later for a very well made 143 having found the boundary 24 times including one six.
Nathan Farmer (38) and Alex Dobson (26 not out) added 58 for the fifth wicket before Farmer’s wicket – caught down the leg-side off the bowling of Basey, brought about sumps with Surrey 537/5.
