Surrey only needed a session and a half on day three to complete an impressive victory over Somerset at Taunton Vale, winning the Second XI Championship fixture by an innings and 174 runs.
Amar Virdi and Surrey U18s left-arm seamer Seb Stuart-Reckling, who was substituted in the side, were the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 4 for 51 and 3 for 18 respectively, while Luke Griffiths, Dan Moriarty, and Tommy Ealham – the three other bowlers to have bowl for Surrey – claimed a wicket apiece.
AM Vaughan and skipper KL Aldridge resumed the hosts’ innings on 20/1 and steadily added 30 runs before Moriarty broke the 39-run stand by getting Aldridge caught behind for 17. One wicket brought another as Virdi pinned GW Thomas lbw for nought, leaving Somerset 51/3.
Opener Vaughan and JF Thomas then dug in to rebuild and formed what would turn out to be the hosts’ best partnership of the second innings, amassing 53 runs together.
However, with Somerset on 104/3, Virdi struck with the ball of the match as he cleaned up Vaughan through the gate three short of a half-century, in a manner any offspinner would be proud of.
TH Rew then joined the set batter Thomas in the middle, and their alliance increased the hosts’ score by 21 runs before Virdi deceived the latter with loop and turn and got him caught and bowled for a well-made 41. The very next ball Virdi claimed his fourth wicket, bowling the newcomer SJ Linnitt behind his back for nought.
With Somerset still 205 runs behind and struggling, their situation only worsened as Surrey kept mounting the pressure, with 125/6 becoming 156 all out within the next 11.3 overs.
Three of the final four batters were removed by left-armer Stuart-Reckling, who showcased his prowess in swinging the ball. First of his victims was R Shimpi, who holed out to Ealham in the deep for 12 before AA Rao was clean bowled with a brilliant inswinger for nought, while Rew edged a well-pitched delivery to Josh Blake for 19 and that culminated Somerset’s innings for 156.
In between Stuart-Reckling’s charge, the third last wicket was taken by Ealham who got EO Leonard to chip one to Krish Patel for 3.
A scorecard is here. A report from day one can be found here and day two here.
