Butcher and Brown put Surrey in control
By Ben Horne
June 8 2006
Mark Butcher and Ali Brown both hit centuries in a partnership of 203 on day two of the County Championship match against Leicestershire at the Brit Oval. Surrey are in a strong position as they reached 415 for at the close, after Leicestershire were bowled out for 251 on day one.
Day one
Leicestershire won toss and decided to bat. Robinson and Maunders put on 63 for the first wicket, but were both dismissed on this score. New was next to go as he was caught by Clarke with Doshi taking the wicket. This left Leicestershire 93 for 3. Ackerman and Mongia staged a recovery with a stand of 54. However Surrey came back again as Ackerman, Mongia and Sadler were dismissed in quick succession Salisbury then got in on the act as he took the wickets of Nixon and Masters. Rikke Clarke took the last two wickets, with four in total, as Leicestershire were bowled out for 251.
Surrey lost Newman early on for eight but Batty and Ramprakash took the score to 64 for 1 when stumps were called.
Day Two
Batty was the first wicket to fall as he was caught by Maunders with Stuart Broad taking the wicket.
Ramprakash and Butcher took the score to 160. Ramprakash reached 73 when he was adjudged leg before wicket to Mongia. Ali Brown, who scored a century against Leicestershire for the second eleven last week and was only recalled after a late injury to James Benning, joined Butcher at the crease. He looked nervous early on, but soon relaxed and brought up his 50. Butcher at the other end looked more comfortable and was playing like his old self. Both reached centuries in a Partnership of 203.
However Butcher was dismissed when he reached 105 as he was caught at slip by Foxes skipper Darren Robinson with Mongia taking his second wicket. Clarke, who was unlucky not to get a call up into the England one day side, joined Brown and they took the score to 415 for 4 as Surrey calmed full bonus points. Brown was unbeaten on 131, while Clarke was not out on 32.
Surrey will be looking to push on tomorrow, in order for a declaration.