Will Young marked his Nottinghamshire debut with an undefeated hundred to anchor the visitors’ response on day two of their LV- Insurance County Championship match against Surrey at The Kia Oval.
The New Zealand international, who is on a three-match contract with the county, provided immediate value with a fluent knock of 106 not out that guided them to 248 for five at the close, trailing Surrey by 107.
Young shared a second-wicket partnership of 134 with Haseeb Hameed, who hit 67, while Surrey’s Jamie Overton took two wickets on his return to bowling action for the first time this summer after recovering from a back injury.
The home side had earlier posted 355 all out in their first innings, with Nottinghamshire all-rounder Lyndon James picking up the last two wickets to register career-best figures of six for 74.
Resuming at 339 for eight in the morning, Surrey increased their total by another 16 – all of those scored by Overton, who bludgeoned a six and two fours off Dane Paterson to finish on 30 not out.
Overton’s efforts were enough to secure a third batting bonus point before James quickly wrapped up the innings by claiming the scalps of Tom Lawes and Dan Worrall in successive deliveries.
Nottinghamshire’s openers dug in at the start of their reply, with Worrall and Sean Abbott bowling a consistent line and the latter also found some movement to dislodge Ben Slater, snapped up by Tom Latham at second slip.
Having survived an early scare when he slashed Abbott just over the slip cordon, Hameed settled down to some crisp strokeplay as he dispatched Jordan Clark twice to the boundary in quick succession.
Meanwhile, Young looked unruffled alongside Hameed, consistently punishing any stray deliveries on the leg side and had almost caught up with his partner when Nottinghamshire went to lunch.
The New Zealander was first to his half-century with a straight drive for four off Overton and Hameed followed suit, drilling the seamer to the midwicket fence in his next over but, with leaden skies giving way to rain shortly before 3pm, the visitors’ progress was held up at 139 for one.
After a false start, the players eventually returned an hour and a half later, with Worrall looking most likely to unlock the partnership as he repeatedly beat the bat and unleashed a skidding delivery that Young only just dug out.
It was Hameed who eventually fell, pouched at first slip after prodding at Worrall outside off stump and there was a close call for Young on 68 when he defended a ball from Abbott that bounced back up off the turf and missed his stumps by a fraction.
But the 30-year-old – who registered a Championship century and four 50s during his stint with Northamptonshire last year – went on to reach three figures from 192 balls, crashing Lawes off the back foot for four.
Easing his way into a decent rhythm, Overton gained reward for his endeavours, squaring Joe Clarke up for a leading edge that sailed into the hands of Latham at gully before having Tom Moores caught in the slips.
Those successes sandwiched another wicket as Surrey deviated from their all-seam tactic by deploying the off-breaks of Will Jacks, a move that paid off as his fifth ball clipped Matthew Montgomery’s bails.
“It’s always nice taking wickets, you want to get that first one quickly.”
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 11, 2023
Returning to the side and picking up two crucial wickets, we caught up with @JamieOverton at the close.
Great to have you back Jamie 🤩
🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/IeLVcAY7UP
