Late Wickets Give Surrey Advantage on Day One at Lords

30 June 2009

A magnificent hundred by Owais Shah helped Middlesex to 269 for five after day one at Lord’s. The Surrey bowlers tried hard and contained the home side and with Shah departing just before the close, honours are fairly even after the first day.

Surrey took to the field at Lords under glorious conditions after being asked to bowl first by Shaun Udal. The morning session was one in which Surrey bowled very well without getting their rewards in the wickets column. After three runs came off Andre Nel’s first over of the day there was then no runs for nearly half an hour as Chris Jordan and Nel bowled with good control on the Lords slope. They made the batsmen play often, but there was no reward until Nel trapped Nick Compton LBW in the seventh over. Nel got the ball to jag down the slope from the Pavilion end to remove Compton for two, Middlesex three for one.

For the following 90 minutes until lunch Surrey would continue their tight bowling and consistent pressure, with Jordan in particular bowling very impressively. His opening nine over spell from the Nursery End going for just 10 runs. It was the change at the Pavilion End that brought the next chance though, as Alex Tudor got Billy Godleman to push outside his off-stump and guided the ball to Nel at second slip, but Nel put down the chance with the batsman on 7. Owais Shah would get the score moving along a little and was keen to use the pull shot on more than one occasion to help himself to easy runs when the ball was short. The surface, although one used before today, looked a great batting surface on day one and Shah and Godleman took Middlesex to lunch on 60 for one. Simon King was making his first-class debut and came into the attack from the Nursery End, and despite his first ball being hit by Shah through cover for four, he found some good bounce and turn already on day one.

After lunch the pair of Godleman and Shah continued their partnership and made Surrey work hard in the field. Godleman looked to set himself to bat all day and play the anchor role whilst Shah mixed defence with fluent attacking strokes. He took Middlesex past 100 and looked very confident at the crease. He used his feet well against the spin of Murtaza Hussain and went to a century with a single off Jordan. It turned out to be a quite beautiful innings, after what was a patient start.

Godleman was still playing very cautiously, although he had his second life when on 28. Stewart Walters bowled a delivery that swung down the leg-side, Godleman lost his balance, but Jonathan Batty could not cling onto the ball and the sharp stumping chance was missed. Godleman dealt mainly in ones and twos as he quietly knocked the ball around and frustrated Surrey. It was the pressure from consistent bowling that would however cause the breakthrough. Godleman looked for a single into the off-side, but a sharp pick-up and throw by Walters saw Godleman run-out as Shah had no interest in running. The opener run-out for 48, coming off 200 balls and Middlesex 160 for two shortly before tea.

It seemed the only chance Surrey had of removing Shah was if he tired and got bored because he looked at ease. There was one stoppage in play for a few minutes when Shah appeared to be cramping. However, after some treatment from the Middlesex ,physiotherapist he continued on his way, picking up boundaries all around the Lord’s ground.

After removing Godleman Surrey would have liked to take advantage of the new batsmen. Neil Dexter came in at four and after a breezy 14 from 18 balls he departed when he tried to hit Murtaza over the top again and was caught at mid-on by Tudor.

Shah just looked at ease in the middle and helped himself to a 150 with yet another a pull shot, this time off Jordan shortly after the new ball was taken. It looked that Shah would see out the day with Dawid Malan, but Nel finally found the outside edge in the 93rd over. Walters took a low catch at second slip, Shah stood for a moment, but went for a brilliant 159. The vital wicket of Shah just before the close gave the bowlers a lift and Jordan then made the day finish very well for Surrey. Jordan had night-watchman, Steve Finn, LBW for five with the last ball of the day. Leaving Middlesex 269 for five heading into the second day.