Surrey took just 39 minutes on the fourth morning to complete an impressive nine-wicket victory against Warwickshire at The Kia Oval and go 21 points clear at the top of the Vitality County Championship.
Dom Sibley finished unbeaten on 46 and Ollie Pope scored 13 not out after Surrey captain Rory Burns, on 30, hit Jacob Bethell’s left arm spin straight to deep mid-on soon after skipping down the pitch and lofting the same bowler straight for six.
Sibley collected two boundaries for firm on-drives against Bethell while Pope swept Bethell for four and also drove Rob Yates’ off spin to the extra cover ropes in a little cameo.
Surrey began the final day needing 58 more runs to win, after resuming on 31 without loss chasing a modest fourth innings target of 89 for a third successive Division One win and a maximum 24 points.
The 2022 and 2023 county champions have started their season strongly as they bid for a hat-trick of titles and a fourth in seven years. After five matches, Surrey have opened up a significant gap on both second-placed Essex and third-placed Somerset, who are a further two points back. Neither Essex nor Somerset played in this round of games.
Warwickshire fought hard to keep Surrey at bay, first recovering to reach 343 in their first innings after initially slipping to 167 for six and then battling back with the ball to peg Surrey to 349 for eight in reply after they had been 308 for three.
But Jamie Smith’s majestic 155, and his 115-run ninth wicket stand with Sean Abbott, ultimately earned Surrey a 121-run first-innings lead – before West Indies Test pacer Kemar Roach produced a magnificent exhibition of fast-medium swing bowling to take six for 46 as Warwickshire were dismissed for 209 second time around.
The visitors also suffered the bad luck of a freak injury to fast bowler Craig Miles, whose five for 43 – and three wickets in three overs with the second new ball – had done much to keep Warwickshire in the game late on day two.
Miles, jumping in celebration of his fifth wicket, went over nastily on his right ankle and damaged ligaments so severely that he could not put weight on his foot the following day and so did not even bat in Warwickshire’s second innings.
Warwickshire, who bowled their spinners on the final morning to make sure they were not docked a point for a slow over rate across the game, take four points from their first defeat of the campaign.
"Pretty pleasing performance all round!" 🗣️
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 13, 2024
Head Coach Gareth Batty spoke to @TheMiddleStump following Surrey's resounding 9-wicket victory over Warwickshire.
🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/cDJSfYtOTL
