Loss and Win in Tight Week for Second XI

27 June 2009

Surrey Second XI have finished a week of tight competition with their Northamptonshire counterparts, yesterday spinning their way to an excellent three wicket victory to bounce back from a tense One Day defeat on Tuesday.

After starting the week with tense loss in the Second XI Trophy, Ian Salisbury's side bounced back to continue their good form in the three day Second XI Championship, with 5/55 from Simon King and a second innings 85 not out from Laurie Evans, enough to see them to a 76 run victory in a hard played, low scoring game.

Second XI vs. Northamptonshire - Second XI Trophy - 23/06/2009

Chris Murtagh lost the toss at Wellingborough School and Northamptonshire took first use of the pitch. The home side had only 19 on the board when they lost their first wicket, Steven Peters, to a slip catch by Tom Jewell off the bowling of Tim Linley.

However Paul Harrison (37) and Nathan Hawkes (39) then added 62 for the second wicket before Hawkes was bowled by George Edwards. Two balls later Edwards hit the stumps again in an excellent spell of bowling and removed Daniel Bendon. Harrison was out for 37, a third wicket for the lively Edwards who then proceeded to bowl Clint Tomlinson in the same over. At that point he had taken 4-14 in six overs.

At 110-5 Surrey seemed to be in control at the halfway stage of the game but Ben Howgego (31) and skipper Graeme White with a defiant 42 not out from 53 balls put up more resistance, and with useful stands of 35 and 39 for the eighth and ninth wickets Northants finished on 223-9. Edwards' final figures were 4-40 and Stuart Meaker took 2-40 for Surrey.

The Surrey reply started with a steady opening partnership of 47 by Tom Lancefield (19) and Seren Waters (22). The introduction of Jack Chopping into the attack accounted for the wickets of Waters and Laurie Evans (17) as he took 2-21 in his first six overs.

Chris Murtagh worked hard for his 31 to keep the momentum going and Alex Tudor added a quick 25 from 21 balls but the mainstay of the innings was wicket keeper Rory Burns. He regularly lost partners as wickets tumbled to David Wigley who took four wickets in his last two overs until he was left with Tim Linley to take eight runs from the final over.

Needing three runs for victory or two to tie the match from the last ball they scrambled a single but Burns was run out attempting a second. His 58 from 80 balls with five fours almost saw Surrey home and was his first half-century for the Second XI.

Second XI vs. Northamptonshire - Second XI Championship - 24/06/2009 - 26/06/2009

After the narrow defeat by Northamptonshire the Surrey 2nd XI bounced back with an exciting Championship win against the same opposition at Campbell Park in Milton Keynes, which keeps them at the top of the Second XI Southern Division table.

After winning the toss Surrey batted first but the innings was soon in trouble against the Northants opening attack of Jack Brooks and David Lucas and at lunch they were 88-4 with Laurie Evans on 39. Evans fell three balls after lunch and the middle order crumbled to 106-8. Then the bowlers decided to show that they could bat. Stuart Meaker hit a battling 61 not out from 182 balls, a career best performance for the Second XI. He was supported by George Edwards with 22 and Tim Linley with 38 not out. This meant that Surrey could declare on 231-9 and bowl a few overs at Northants before the close.

This tactic worked brilliantly as Meaker and Tudor both took a wicket to leave Northants on 25-2 at stumps. The second morning was dominated by Paul Harrison, who played several games for Surrey Second XI last season. His 56 from 120 balls kept Northants in sight of a reasonable total but he lost partners regularly and with Alex Tudor firing on all cylinders to take 5-43 from 15 overs the home side were 166 all out, 65 runs behind.

The Surrey second innings belonged to Laurie Evans. Supported by Chris Murtagh (34) and Tom Lancefield (31), he scored 85 not out from 188 balls with eleven fours before rain interrupted play. Early lunch was taken but with over two hours play lost Surrey declared the innings closed, denying Evans the chance of a much-deserved century in order to try to win the match.

Northants had a minimum of 43 overs to score 254 for victory. They started brightly with a stand of 48 between Ben Howgego and David Murphy. Tim Linley broke that partnership in his first over, Simon King took wickets in his fourth and fifth overs and Linley struck again in his fifth to have Northants 101-4 in 21 overs.

Surrey fielded tightly with Seren Waters outstanding under the helmet. He dismissed Harrison for 31 with a great catch from the bowling of King and combined with keeper Rory Burns in a stunning run-out.

Another run out and two more wickets for King, who finished with 5-55 from 17.2 overs and a wicket for Freddie van den Bergh (1-8) with Linley’s 2-38 gave Surrey a resounding win by 76 runs and 20 points to keep them on top of the table.

This was a great effort by a young team most of whom have come through the Surrey training schemes.

Both reports written by Second XI Scorer Jennifer Booth