Ben Foakes century drives Surrey in crunch Championship contest

Surrey 339 for 4 (Foakes 112*, Steel 69*, Sibley 65, Smith 60) vs Warwickshire

Division One leaders and 2022 winners Surrey are aiming for back-to-back championship triumphs, and lead Essex and Hampshire by 17 and 48 factors respectively with three rounds to go for the highest three. Warwickshire, with an additional sport in hand in fourth place, trailed Surrey by 56 factors at first of a match they have to win to keep up any curiosity within the title race.

But the champions proved greater than a match for the Warwickshire assault with Foakes and Steel combining so as to add an unbroken 152 in 42 overs for the fifth wicket after Smith had waltzed to 60 from 72 balls in a stand value 99 with Sibley, who put collectively a extra prosaic 65 in nearly 4 hours of devoted crease occupation.

Steel additionally performed effectively for his unbeaten 69, from 115 balls and together with 10 fours, and importantly repelling with Foakes the second new ball within the closing hour to underline Surrey’s opening day dominance. Foakes has to this point confronted 181 balls, hitting 18 fours.

Put in on a well-grassed floor, Surrey misplaced Rory Burns and Ryan Patel within the first 12 overs as they stumbled initially to 31 for 2. Burns, on 11, edged Chris Rushworth’s ever-steady fast-medium low to 3rd slip and Patel managed solely a few pleasing drives earlier than falling for 9 when Barnard angled one by way of his defences from across the wicket.

Smith, although, instantly started to tackle the Warwickshire seamers, skipping a few quick steps down the pitch to unfurl one magnificent straight pushed 4 off Barnard and, two balls later, hitting the identical bowler to the additional cowl ropes with an actual flourish.

On 25, Smith was lucky to get an inside edge that saved him from being stumped when he superior at Danny Briggs’ left arm spin and aimed an unpleasant hack, however in any other case he continued to bat with energy and sophistication.

Henry Brookes’ first three overs price 25 as Smith and Sibley each cashed in on some wayward deliveries because the quick bowler struggled for rhythm, and lunch was reached with Surrey having recovered in some type to 111 for 2.

Smith accomplished a 52-ball fifty within the first over after the interval, punching Olly Hannon-Dalby by way of the covers off the again foot for 3, however Warwickshire sensed they had been again within the struggle when Barnard beat Smith with a ball angled in and beating an tried whip previous mid on to pluck out off stump after deflecting off his pads.

Sibley was then joined by Foakes in an untroubled alliance of 57 in 16 overs earlier than, wastefully, he drove Briggs straight to mid on, known as his accomplice for a pointy single and was, appropriately, despatched again. Foakes, who had truly performed effectively to keep away from the ball, didn’t transfer as Hannon-Dalby picked up and threw to the keeper’s finish with Sibley run out by yards.

By tea Steel had helped Foakes steer Surrey to 224 for 4 and, within the day’s final session, the pair stored the scoreboard ticking steadily. Steel hit one memorable additional cowl 4 off Will Rhodes’ medium tempo and Foakes, who had accomplished his half-century on the stroke of tea, punched Rhodes between mid on and the bowlers’ stumps for one of many 16 boundaries in his third championship hundred of the season.