Jordan Clark and Rikki Clarke stepped up in impressive fashion as Surrey’s undermanned bowling attack reduced Hampshire to 229-7 on day one of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash at the Ageas Bowl.
The duo grabbed three wickets apiece after Kyle Jamieson was forced off the field after just six overs due to injury.
Surrey were also without England batsman Ollie Pope who missed the match due to a thigh strain picked up in Friday’s Vitality Blast defeat by Kent.
Rory Burns won the toss and elected to field under gloomy skies but despite the bowling friendly conditions Hampshire held firm, losing only Joe Weatherley in the first session to reach lunch on 62/1.
But the Surrey seamers were rewarded for some tight and disciplined bowling after the restart as they ripped through the home side’s top order.
Veteran former England all-rounder Clarke had bowled well without luck, seeing a regulation slip catch grassed by Jamie Overton when Tom Alsop was on 17, then having a no-ball called against him when Ian Holland was caught by Ryan Patel.
But Alsop failed to take advantage of his good fortune when he edged Clark to Jamie Smith behind the stumps for 29.
Alsop’s exit brought Nick Gubbins to the crease for the first time as a Hampshire player following his loan move from Middlesex.
The left-hander, who will join on a permanent basis at the end of the season following the shock departure of Sam Northeast to Yorkshire on Friday, looked in fine touch with a gorgeous cut shot to the boundary early in his innings.
Gubbins then brought up his new side’s hundred with a sumptuous drive down the ground, only to perish when on 17 after his attempt at a cut-shot off Overton was caught behind by Smith.
James Vince produced a typically pleasing but brief innings when Clarke, who had been dispatched to the boundary three times by the home skipper, got his revenge when he trapped the elegant right-hander lbw for 16.
Holland continued his fine form at the top of the order with his third 50 of the campaign, but became Clark’s third victim when he dragged onto his stumps for 58, reducing the home side to 155-5.
A fifty-run stand from Colin de Grandhomme and Lewis McManus took Hampshire past the 200-mark before Clark struck again when McManus was caught down the leg-side by Smith for 24.
Keith Barker was dismissed without scoring to hand 39-year-old Clarke his third wicket before play was called off for the day due to rain and bad light with Colin de Grandhomme unbeaten on 48 and Felix Organ on three.
