Surrey end day three 106 runs ahead of Yorkshire and will need Sai Sudharsan (56*) and Tommy Ealham (7*) to bat on in the morning if they are going to be able to put themselves in a position to win the final Second XI fixture of the year.
Yorkshire resumed the day on 332/5 and continued their push to overhaul Surrey’s first innings total of 427. Ben Mike reached three figures and dominated the sixth wicket partnership of 103 with Isaac Light who fell for 27 – holing out in the deep off the bowling of Dan Moriarty.
Mike mistimed an expansive drive, departing for an excellent 112, comfortably caught by Moriarty to give Ealham his third of the match. Alex French dismissed Leech, with Ben Geddes taking a comfortable catch in the slips, but not before Yorkshire had surpassed Surrey’s total.
Matt Milnes put together a nicely made 36 before dancing down the wicket to Moriarty with Blake making a routine stumping. Moriarty completed his five-wicket haul four deliveries later as McMurran was adjudged leg before wicket. Moriarty finished with 5-102 but Yorkshire had built a handy 50-run lead.
In the second innings, Yorkshire struck early with Arjun Gill unfortunate to drag on to his stumps for six off the bowling of Milnes. Milnes was bowling an excellent line and Josh Blake was unable to continue his terrific form as he was caught behind for one. Ben Geddes followed soon after, lbw to Dom Leech for 16.
New Surrey signing Sai Sudharsan survived a big lbw shout first ball and was subsequently watchful in negotiating some excellent bowling, waiting for the bad ball to put away. A sublime straight drive down the ground showed the Indian’s class.
At the other end, first innings centurion Stuart van der Merwe picked up where he left off and the two put together a 50 run partnership. Van der Merwe was looking fluent before a Ben Mike direct hit ran him out for 22 after a mix up between the two batters.
Off-spinner Jack Shutt picked up the wicket of Ollie Sykes (10) after the young Surrey batter flicked the ball straight into the hands of the fielder at mid-wicket. Moriarty played some lovely pull strokes but his innings was cut short as he too fell to the bowling of Shutt for 18.
Sudharsan, joined at the crease by Tommy Ealham, reached 50 after a direct hit allowed the batters to pick up a quick single. A beautifully-timed drive from Ealham moved Surrey past 150 and they closed day three on 156/6.
