On a hard-fought day three at Bristol, Gloucestershire made the game difficult for Surrey, but the visitors overcame the challenges, guided by Nico Reifer’s defiant 41 followed up by Amar Virdi’s 3/17 in the fourth innings.
Having taken a lead of 147 runs, Surrey set up a target of 277 for their hosts and put in a battling display in the field to leave Gloucestershire on 137/7 and 140 runs away from victory.
Following a successful day yesterday, it didn’t take long for Surrey to get their first wicket of day three as Dan Moriarty got Jared Warner caught by Nathan Barnwell for six, with the hosts 181/9.
For the last wicket, the hosts admirably resisted for 44 balls and added a useful 26, taking Gloucestershire to 207 before Moriarty drew a false stroke from Luke Charlesworth (13) that was held by Reifer while Ed Middleton remained unbeaten on a well-complied 40.
Ahead by 147 runs, Surrey openers Ben Geddes and Sheridon Gumbs walked to the crease to being the Three Feathers’ second innings. Their stay was brief though and, by the start of the fifth over, Surrey found themselves 2/2.
Left-handed Gumbs (0) was departed first as he played on a Zaman Akhter delivery onto his stumps. Shortly after, captain Geddes (1) returned to the dressing room when his counterpart Dominic Goodman caught him at mid-on off the bowling of Charlesworth.
Things became further difficult for the visitors when they lost Josh Blake (1) – who was also bowled by Akhter – immediately after the second wicket, leaving Surrey 3/3.
Under mounting pressure, number three Reifer and Surrey Academy batter Stuart Van der Merwe calmed the situation and safely took the visitors to lunch, adding 59 runs together.
Resuming the innings on 62/3, Van der Merwe was run out by William Naish for 26 in the first over of the afternoon session, bringing Conor McKerr to the middle.
McKerr and Reifer then combined for 28 runs before the former edged Charlesworth on 12 and was nicely pouched by RR O’Donnell in second slip, with Surrey 90/5.
Eight runs later, Middleton got the big wicket of Reifer – who was set on 41 and batting beautifully – as the batter was struck on his pads and trapped lbw.
Without adding to their tally, Surrey lost their seventh wicket when Nick Kimber (3) was bowled out by seamer Charlesworth, leaving the visitors 98/7 and 245 runs ahead.
With the Three Feathers on 110/7, James Taylor (4) became Charlesworth’s fourth scalp as the seamer got Taylor lbw with a sharp yorker.
After that, with only two wickets in hand, Moriarty tried to score some quick runs, but his charge ended when Middleton bowled him out for 17.
Charlesworth got the last Surrey batter, Amar Virdi (1), caught behind by Tom Lace and earned himself a well-deserved five-for, leaving Barnwell as the last player standing on five not out.
Chasing a target of 277 runs, Louis Shaw and Joe Phillips came out to open the fourth innings, and on this occasion, they handled the opening burst of McKerr and Taylor in a better manner. However, after scoring 15 off 25 balls, Shaw’s stumps were undone by an outstanding outswinger from McKerr.
With the hosts on 25/1, out came Naish to join Phillips, and the pair took Gloucestershire to 43 before the next wicket fell. Kimber clean bowled Naish for 12 and brought wicketkeeper Lace to the crease.
Another 15 runs were scored before Surrey struck again as Moriarty, having beaten Lace (9) with his spin, was rewarded with a caught and bowled, scorecard reading 58/3.
Newcomer Max Dunne and Phillips then nurtured a partnership and brought Gloucestershire within 155 runs of victory, but the 64-run stand was broken by Virdi, who pinned Phillips lbw for a tidy knock of 54.
From here on, Surrey picked up pace and collected wickets at regular intervals. Inside the next 12 runs, three more Gloucestershire batters fell.
This mini-collapse began with Virdi – who bowled with great rhythm in the evening session – grabbing a sharp catch of O’Donnell (4) off his own bowling before he trapped Goodman lbw for nought. To finish off a hard-working day, McKerr got the important wicket of Dunne for 32 at the close.
Day four in Bristol begins at 11 am with Surrey needing two wickets to cross the line while Gloucestershire require 140 more runs to win.
