Matt Dunn bounced out Kent in the first innings to claim a five-for before Tommy Ealham’s seven-wicket-haul had the visitors in a spin as Surrey 2nd XI won by an innings and 122 runs at Guildford.
After putting in a thumping batting performance and declaring on a mammoth 656 for 7, Surrey maintained their standards and intensity with the ball as they collected 16 wickets on day three.
With the wicket not offering much lateral movement, Dunn (5/50) turned the tide with his short ball ploy and a well-set leg-side field, helping Surrey enforce the follow-on, having taken a lead of 359 runs. In the second innings, it was the drift and turn of Ealham (7/71) for which Kent had no answer as they were steamrolled for 237 all out inside 53 overs.
Resuming the day on 223 for 4, Yousef Majid provided the perfect start, getting HM Khan caught at slip for six. Hamidullah Qadri and wicketkeeper RJ Richardson seemed to have steadied the ship for the visitors until they met with the sharpness of Dunn.
With three quick, well-directed bouncers, Qadri (6), OB Curtiss (9) and AR Sylvester (1) were put in uncomfortable positions and all of them were caught at leg gully, converting Kent’s 248 for 5 to 258 for 8 in no time.
Dunn, bowling fiercely, carried on and completed his five-wicket-haul, getting J Singh (10) caught at conventional gully this time with another pinpoint bouncer, before Alex French capped Kent’s innings, removing Richardson for a defiant 36.
Behind by 359 runs, Kent openers walked out again, and a dashing start quickly took them to 48 for no loss inside the first eight overs.
At that point, James Taylor nicked off SD Perera, who was well-caught at slip by Ben Geddes for 27.
The introduction of Ealham for the first time in the second innings worked like magic as Kent’s top-order collapsed, losing four wickets for 21 runs, with the off-spinner collecting three while Dunn got Qadri (31) caught again.
Ealham’s first wicket was the stuff of dreams for any off-spinner – a well-flighted delivery that drifted away from BJ Dawkins’ defence at the very last moment and kissed his off-stump.
Skipper and first-innings-centurion MK O’Riordan was caught behind cutting for four and left-hander HM Khan was rushed on the back foot and cleaned up for one.
Richardson and GR Severin then joined up in the middle, offering a 48-run resistance, which was broken by another beautiful Ealham delivery that drifted away in the air and found a feather of Severin for 18.
Soon after, Ealham beat the defence of Curtiss and bowled him for seven, completing his five-for before quickly making it a six-for in his next over, trapping Sylvester, who was attempting a sweep, lbw for one.
Wicketkeeper Richardson and tailender Singh decided to let loose and play some shots, adding 73 runs for the tenth wicket, to Surrey’s frustration, which was ended by Majid, who clean-bowled Richardson for a well-made 82.
Fittingly, Ealham rounded up Surrey’s mighty, three-day victory by an innings and 122 runs when he got Singh caught for 50 and finished with figures of 7 for 71.
