Essex’s short-term signing Curtis Campher made an instant impression with a whirlwind century amid a record victory over Surrey in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Alec Stewart spoke to BBC London's Mark Church after "a real tough day" for Surrey in the field.
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"The inexperience got exposed... Sadly, as a group, it didn't go as planned... but it is part of their education."
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The 26-year-old Ireland all-rounder, with more than 100 caps, hit his third List A ton, and his highest score in the format, in smashing an unbeaten 123 from 68 balls less than 48 hours after flying in for a medical ahead of a three-game stint.
He thumped six sixes and 12 fours to help Essex to their highest List A total of 417-6, and a share in a county record of 175 for the sixth wicket with Simon Harmer. Matt Critchley’s 58 from 50 balls, Luc Benkenstein’s personal-best 83 from 72 and Harmer’s equal-best 68 from 47 were overshadowed by the Irishman’s effort.
Essex bowler Charlie Bennett returned his best figures of 5-36 as Surrey were dismissed for 173. Only Cameron Steel, with 49, offered resistance.
Critchley scored just one run from his first dozen deliveries before going on the attack against James Taylor, who was among the pick of the bowlers for Surrey alongside spinner Yousef Majid.
His opening partner Robin Das, played on to Taylor, and captain Tom Westley, pulling French tamely to square leg.
The Essex all-rounder reached his own half-century from 40 balls – fifty of them coming in just 28 balls – but a 10th boundary, cut square off Barnwell, was followed by his downfall next ball when he top-edged an attempted pull.
Charlie Allison had brought up the fitty stand with Critchley by coming down the wicket and lofting Majid over long leg for six. His 46 from 47 balls ended with a thin edge for French’s second scalp.
For a spell Benkenstein and Campher traded maximums, Benkenstein lofting two over long leg off Steel and another off Adam Thomas, while Campher hit a succession of big hits into and over the stands.
Benkenstein’s innings came to an end when he was lbw, having misjudged a delivery from Thomas. That brought in Harmer, who kept step with Campher for 16 overs.
The sixth-wicket carnage ended three balls from the end of the innings when Harmer drove Barnwell uppishly to extra cover. That only brought in Simon Fernandes to hammer 12 from those remaining deliveries, including a six second ball over long leg.
Surrey’s chase faltered from the start. Thomas was bowled in Charlie Bennett’s second over, Nikhil Gorantla caught at deep third in the bowler’s fourth, and Rory Burns snaffled behind in his fifth.
Jamie Porter had Ollie Sykes caught on the midwicket boundary before Campher re-entered the arena. With only his third ball, he had Ben Foakes caught behind to underline his all-round ability.
Josh Blake became Simon Harmer’s first wicket, after the South African was struck for a six by Steel, on his return from paternity leave, when he lofted into the cover before Bennett claimed his fourth by bowling Taylor and a fifth to dismiss Steel. By then the result was long beyond dispute.
