Ben Geddes scored an outstanding century and Tommy Ealham and Yousef Majid battled hard as Surrey closed on 315/9, 54 runs away from a remarkable victory.
Hampshire’s tail started day three akin to how they ended the previous – adding crucial runs and frustrating Surrey. Resuming on 209/9, the visitors strolled to 245 and DC Kelly – who was on 78 not out overnight – to 110 off 184 balls before Virdi got him stumped by Oscar Pascall.
The off-spinner finished with 3/38 to back up his five-for in the first innings, while seamer James Taylor also bowled impressively to get 4/36 from 11 overs.
Chasing a target of 369 runs, Surrey openers Ben Geddes and Ryan Patel started well and safely negotiated the first eight new ball overs until Patel was given out lbw for 17 in the ninth off the bowling of MJ Burton.
Number three Nico Reifer (2) could only stay with Geddes for 15 more runs as his pull shot off Kelly was caught at fine leg by Baker, leaving Surrey 44/2.
From there on, a promising partnership developed between Stuart van der Merwe and Geddes, which took Surrey beyond 100, while Geddes – who was timing the ball beautifully and struck two sumptuous drives – also surpassed a well-deserved fifty with a powerful six over square leg.
Having added 72 runs together, with Surrey on 116/3, the partnership was broken when van der Merwe, who played well for his 42 runs off 57 balls, was caught at cover off the bowling of FS Organ.
K Patel (0) was the next batter to fall when MJ Burton struck him on his front pad and claimed his second wicket.
Surrey on 119/4 and requiring exactly 250 more runs to win, Taylor joined his captain in the middle, and the two of them began weaving a hopeful partnership. Geddes, the primary contributor to the developing alliance, continued to strike the ball sweetly, swiftly moving to 86 not out by the tea interval, with Surrey breaking the afternoon session on 178/4, needing 191 more runs to win.
Post the tea break, Taylor began to open his arms and found the rope on numerous occasions. The flourishing 90-run stand, however, was put to when J Campbell got Taylor caught behind by Eckland for 37, with Surrey on 209/5 and Geddes on 99 not out.
In the next over, the Surrey captain brought up his brilliant century in as emphatic a manner as he had been batting all day, aggressively pulling an Organ delivery through square leg for four.
However, Hampshire captain Organ had the last word in the intriguing tussle between the two skippers, as he dismissed the centurion for a well-made 111, leaving Surrey in trouble on 223/6, still 145 runs away from victory.
After the loss of their captain, Tommy Ealham offered stiff defiance as Pascall (16), Barnwell (8) and Virdi (1) all departed. Ealham (48*) found support from number 11 Yousef Majid (17*) and at the close Surrey are nine wickets down needing 54 to win.
