Boo More Sangakkara class

Primrose Hillbilly reports on a day of twists and turns and that legend again denying us.    As usual there are many amusing asides and some honest opinions.   This is far from a dull read

I hadn’t kept up to date with Day 2, so had decided unilaterally to change ends, in case this assisted the Middle’s cause, and watch from the top deck of the big red clubhouse. 

An interesting allegiance validator here : was I more thrilled by Wasps’ (another real team, not a west London franchise bought by a Russian oil oligarch – ‘hem, ‘ hem) last ditch win, or gutted to have missed a Dawid Malan century? 

Dawid is just such a super smooth silky stroke maker, so no real comparison. I was reconciled to Wasps’ losing before they pulled it out of the fire in the last minutes. The Middle wins over Wasps. 

So, Day 3. The “anvil” day, where one team’s dreams are shaped, forged and made, and another’s broken, or so the script usually says. 

Well, The General’s high and handsome hook for six to a very long boundary, so nearly caught, bringing up the 100 partnership, seemed to indicate positive intent. Except that once the new ball was taken, the Curran(t)s bowled really well, and he and Mala had to tough it out. We secured a first innings lead with a Dawid cover drive. 

Franco and Dawid played some lovely shots. Two lordly drives through midwicket by Franco off Currant got us to 333 for 5, Mala 114, The General on 82.  

I agree with other posters; there is a lot of early mad Mitch Johnson about Foottitt. He has genuine pace, but does spray it about. He is a true shock weapon. One bouncer would have killed fine leg on its way for 4 byes ! 

Of the Mexicans’ other bowling, they say Meaker has got back in the groove, but his first ball was a piece of filth down legside, and it just goes to show what can happen that it was greeted by an ugly swish by Dawid to feather it to Foakes. What a waste (Part 1) 334 – 6. Such an unworthy shot from such a graceful strokeplayer. 

The stage was set for Toby. An hour and a half of him would have been broken Surrey. He scored quickly, and effortlessly. One absolutely dismissive back foot drive off Meaker up the hill to the Grand Stand was pure Mark Waugh. He followed it with one through midwicket, and then another over point. 350 up. 

Footrot vs Toby. Pure theatre – Toby played him with ease off the front foot in a forward defensive. Maybe there is a bit of form between the two of them, or they are just vying to be next in the England pecking order? Anyway, Footinmouth gave the biggest pantomime glare imaginable, right out of the Fred Trueman canon. Toby looked interested, and launched the oh, so predictable next ball bouncer into the second tier of the Grand Stand.It hit the hoardings with a lovely Thump ! Back to yer mark, sonny! 

The General reached his hundred with a cut over gully, and we were 386 – 6. Unfortunately, Toby then hammered a drive straight to his friend at Mid – off, and the General slashed Meaker to third man soon afterwards, so we were 399 – 8, with both batsmen on 0. 

Ollie and Tom got us past 400, to lunch on 408 – 8, but their departures – Tom hoicking, and Ollie pulling straight - to midwicket in both cases - meant that we had failed to press on and build an impregnable score. 

Toby and Tom opened for us. Toby took Stoneman’s edge to give Voges a regulation first slip catch, and then pinned the strangely crouching, open stanced Burns LBW. The umpire thought long and hard, but the only mitigating factor could have been height, and Burns is not tall, and crouched down so low you could hit him in the chest and be in with a shout. 

We then hit the rock that is Kumar Sangakara for the second time this match. He is three notches above anything else in the Surrey stable. Toby’s first ball whistled straight through him, and I thought we were in, but after that, our best chance was to get him run out. He did not score slowly, but he wasn’t that fast either – see later. 

Borthwick took ages to get going, and generally Surrey crawled along. At one stage Franco had bowling figures of 5 – 2 – 7 – 0. Except that at the other end poor Steve Finn had an absolute ‘mare. – He bowls at least one four-ball an over, and his pace is down. He’s lost pretty much everything that made him an England pick, and once Dial M is back and if Poddy or Harry show real form, I would not pick him. Maybe the Lions have done us a favour by calling him up. He looked out of sorts, knew he was bowling poorly, and letting the side down, but that does not help the scorebook, Finny, mate. Maybe this time not even Richard Johnson can recussitate his career. Tea came at 80 – 2. 

Borthwick started scoring slightly quicker, to the extent that despite coming in after him, Kumar had 55 out of a total of 114, with his number 3 on 45. 

Ollie was bowling very well, but getting nothing but slow turn from the pitch. Figures of 14 – 2- 31 – 0 against a player of Sanga’s quality speak volumes. Finally, finally, finally, thank the Lord, he got Borthwick to play across the line, and Ollie could do his slow low clenched fist of triumph, as the finger took a long time to go up, but go up it did. 

Finny came back for another short plug, but all this achieved was that just as Ollie was applying a tourniquet at one end, we had the pressure release valve operating at the other. 

Surrey plodded on. Sibley took forever to get off the mark with a beautiful cover drive to achieve this. Finally, Franco brought back the lion hearted Toby, who – as he always does – threw everything into his bowling. 

The Surrey wags were by now really showing their wit and repartee, and so, to the tune that we in the Champion county associate with the lyrics of “We know what we are....”, they sang “He’s got a long run, he’s got a long run ............” ....Ohhhhhh, ........... Boys, boys, you really should write some scripts, or some sketches, or ....................just some original material would be nice. 

Anyway, they sufficiently motivated our man, and with their tuneful encouragement at his back, Toby hurled one down to get sufficient movement off the pitch to castle Sibley. 171 – 4. 

That was the end of the excitement for the day, I’m afraid. 

Play ended at 7.02. Our over rate is around minus 3, the Surrey run rate might as well be that too. They take a lead of less than 100 into Day 4, and we can take a new ball in 8 overs. If we’d taken one more wicket, I’d have said we were clearly in the box seat, but it’s never that straightforward is it? I still know which side I’d sooner be tonight. Slight whinges : someone among the recognised batters should have taken responsibility to get us over 500 !!!! plus we need to show more urgency in the field, as our over rate is pathetic “Repeat from numerous forums” - is anyone listening? 

I’d love to be more sparkling, but this was good, hard, attritional cricket, which I hope this reflects. The anvil on which our hopes could be smashed might be said to live at Number 42 (sorry, Kev). Either way, he’s high class. He passed 20,000 first class runs today, all of them made pretty silkily, judging by his knock today. 

We go again tomorrow, and we need to get him out early.