Matt Fisher wreaked havoc and claimed a six-for before Josh Blake compiled a brilliant century against Yorkshire as the weather in Guildford finally allowed for this Second XI Championship clash to move forward.
After dismissing the White Rose for 173, Surrey closed day three on an impressive 253/4, leading by 80 runs, thanks to an enormous 163-run stand between Blake (108) and Nikhil Gorantla (59) as well as a quick-fire 40 off 26 balls from Fisher, who could do no wrong with ball or bat.
Once the rain subsided in the morning and the ground was safe to start play at 1:30 pm, Fisher proved himself to be a class apart yet again, adding three more wickets to yesterday’s tally and ending with 6/44, as Surrey bowled out their visitors, who had resumed day three on 123/6, cheaply.
The first wicket of the day went to James Taylor, who had EP Burch (4) caught behind by Ben Foakes, before Fisher pinned CH Taylor (7) lbw, brought Foakes in action again by snicking off B Sylvester (20), and lastly trapped PS Greenfield (28) leg before to round up Yorkshire’s stop-and-start first innings.
The visitors got the perfect boost for their bowling innings, J Singh finding the outside edge of Adam Thomas’ bat with the first ball of his spell and having the Surrey opener caught in the slips for one. This brought Gorantla to the crease in the second over, and the left-right combination of him and Blake started to thrive from the get-go.
Blake, easy on the eye throughout his knock, characteristically caressed a majority of his 15 fours through covers on his way to a hundred. His batting partner, Gorantla, was equally switched on in finding the gaps on the offside while also unleashing the odd pull shot when an opportunity presented itself.
With Yorkshire very much on the back foot throughout the huge second wicket stand, the breakthrough arrived against the run of play as Gorantla was bowled by Subhaan Ali’s in-ducker, leaving Surrey 164/2 in the 29th over.
Promoted up the order and given the license to express himself, Fisher smashed three fours in the first five balls he faced. The seamer carried on in the same fashion, scoring an entertaining 40 from 26 balls, before skying one and being held at deep third to hand Singh his second wicket.
Soon after the end of their 55-run partnership, of which Blake contributed 11, the left-handed opener stepped out and guided EP Burch’s off-spin to square leg and completed the single to reach an impressive century in the 44th over of Surrey’s reply.
Right at the cusp of the close of play, much to the joy of the visitors, Blake’s impressive innings came to an end as he holed out to deep square leg off Burch’s bowling. Ollie Hunt (7*) and Nathan Farmer (7*) navigated the remaining deliveries, with Surrey finishing day three on 253/4, ahead by 80 runs.
