Clarke leads lions recovery

By Ben Horne
July 23 2003

Rikki Clarke hit a superb 85 to lead a suburb recovery for Surrey against Middlesex at Guildford. Clarke hit 85 while Thorpe scored 51 as the lions reached 375 for 9 at stumps on day one.

Rikki Clarke hit a superb 85 to lead a suburb recovery for Surrey against Middlesex at Guildford. Clarke hit 85 while Thorpe scored 51 as the lions reached 375 for 9 at stumps on day one.

After a short rain delay at the start the players took to the pitch and it was Midlesex who struck first. With the score on 16 Chad Keegan bowled Batty for 2. Just four runs later and Ward was out. This time he was bowled by Noffke for 10. Ramprakash was then nearly dismissed first ball as he edged just past Hutton at short leg. Shortly after this Paul Weekes dropped Ramprakash. This was the second time Weekes had dropped Ramprakash this season. Ramprakash and Thorpe then put on 93 to start a Surrey recovery. But when Rampraksh had reached 33 he was caught behind of Cook. Thorpe completed 50 with a well placed pull shot for 6. But Cook then removed Thorpe for 51 and Brown for just 8 to leave the lions struggling again at 131 for 5. Clarke and Tudor then put on a crutial 79 to leave the lions 210 for 5. But then Tudor departed as he was caught by Strauss off Keegan for 27. Bicknell followed shortly after for 11 when he was bowled by Keegan. But Clarke continued to hit the Middlesex bowling attack around the ground and reached a suburb 50. Clarke was playing some excellent shots and looked set for a century. But when he was on 85 he was bowled by Noffke. Ian Salisbury added a useful score of 40 to leave the lions 322 for 9. It looked unlikely that Surrey would reach a forth-batting point. But Saqlain Mushtag and James Ormond played some magnificent shots to leave the lions 375 for 9 at the close. Saqlain had 40 not to while Ormond was 32 not out, including a six off the last ball of the day.

SCORES:

SURREY 1ST INNINGS: MIDDLESEX WON THE TOSS

Ward b Noffke 10
Batty b Keegan 2
Ramprakash c Nash b Cook 33
Thorpe c Weekes b Cook 51
Brown c Strauss b Cook 8
Clarke b Noffke 85
Tudor c Strauss b Keegan 27
Bicknell b Keegan 11
Salisbury c Nash b Noffke 40
Saqlain Mushtaq not out 40
Ormond not out 32

Extras 36

Total (for 9 wickets, 92 overs) 375


MIDDLESEX TEAM: Strauss, Koenig, Shah, Hutton, Joyce, Abdul Razzaq, Weekes, Nash, Cook, Noffke, Keegan.