Tom Bailey burst threatens Surrey unbeaten run
Surrey 360 and 57 for five (Bailey 4-34) want an extra 151 to beat Lancashire 274 and 293 (Williams 61, Salt 54, Worrall 3-69)
Tom Bailey took 4 wickets in 16 balls in an 11-over opening spell of 4 for 34 to cut back Surrey to 57 for five in a unprecedented last hour on the Kia Oval and provides Lancashire the possibility of inflicting a primary defeat of the season on the Division One leaders.
The county champions had earlier been annoyed by Will Williams, Bailey’s new ball companion, who as nightwatcher batted four-and-a-quarter hours for a defiant career-best 61 to go away Surrey needing 208 to clinch a sixth victory in eight matches this season.
But by stumps on day three it was a Lancashire win that regarded extra possible as Bailey wrecked Surrey’s high order after the house facet had ultimately bowled out Lancashire for 293 of their second innings, held up by Williams’ cussed resistance and likewise by a strong 54 from Phil Salt, his second fifty of the sport.
Bailey’s magnificent opening burst introduced him the wickets of Dom Sibley for 1 and Tom Latham subsequent ball for a duck in his fifth over after which, in his sixth and seventh overs, the scalps of Jamie Smith for 4 and Ben Foakes for five.
Sibley and Latham have been each effectively held at second slip by substitute fielder Rob Jones, Smith was leg-before shouldering arms to an offcutter and Foakes caught behind, pushing out defensively.
And the drama continued when Surrey skipper Rory Burns fell for 20, caught at first slip from Jack Blatherwick’s fourth ball, within the twentieth of the 24 overs Lancashire bowled in a memorable mini-session. Will Jacks stays 19 not out.
Williams, a 30-year-old New Zealander with a UK passport, started the day on one not out in Lancashire’s in a single day 113 for 4, representing an general lead of simply 27, however he withstood Surrey’s five-pronged tempo assault – spearheaded by Dan Worrall’s 3 for 69 – nearly till tea to make his maiden first-class half-century.
Christchurch-born Williams’ earlier high rating in 54 first-class matches was simply 38, made for Canterbury towards Wellington in February 2020. This was his seventy fifth first-class innings, together with his 698 earlier runs coming on the lowly common of 13, however Williams, enjoying straight and defending competently, helped Salt so as to add 95 in 37 overs for the sixth wicket.
LV= Insurance County Championship title favourites Surrey resorted to a short-ball barrage towards him after lunch, with the second new ball, and though Williams’ run-scoring then slowed to a trickle – he made simply ten in nearly 30 overs within the afternoon session – he nonetheless resisted courageously and, in all, confronted 220 balls.
Surrey had solely loved one success in a tense morning session, with Burns leaping excessive at mid-off to tug off an excellent one-handed catch from Daryl Mitchell’s lofted drive at Worrall.
New Zealand Test batter Mitchell, on 17 in a single day, regarded in good contact as he moved to 30 however within the twelfth over of the day was left surprised by Burns’ athleticism as he in some way clawed down a ball that gave the impression to be clearing him.
Then, on 150 for five, with solely 5 extra runs added, Salt was dropped by Smith at additional cowl off Tom Lawes, this time the fielder failing to hold on to an opportunity above his head.
Williams, on 23, edged Sam Curran at catchable peak between slip and gully however in any other case batted with relative consolation towards the Surrey seamers. And when Jacks was known as up for a couple of overs earlier than lunch, Williams drove the offspinner straight for six to convey up Lancashire’s 200 and to take his personal rating to 49.
The 30-year-old’s half-century arrived quickly afterwards, from 124 balls, and Surrey’s frustration grew when shortly after lunch Salt was put down off Curran on 30 by Latham, diving to his proper at second slip, within the first over with the second new ball.
Another 32 runs have been scored earlier than Surrey may rejoice their sixth wicket of the innings, Salt being bowled behind his legs by Jordan Clark, the ball flicking his again pad on its method into leg stump as Lancashire’s keeper-batter aimed in direction of sq. leg.
Balderson narrowly prevented being dismissed by his first ball, a vicious lifter which clipped an elbow on the best way by means of to keeper Foakes, and the left-hander had made solely 10 when he edged a drive at Sean Abbott to first slip.
Williams wanted some on-field therapy after taking one nasty blow on the bicep on 57, ducking into an Abbott bouncer, and his courageous resistance lastly ended 4 overs earlier than tea when he gloved a brief ball from Lawes into Smith’s arms at brief leg.
Bailey’s helpful 25, together with some sturdy off-side strokes, was reduce brief by a top-edged pull at Curran that was well-held on the deep sq. leg ropes by Worrall and Lancashire’s dogged second-innings effort was lastly over when No 11 Jack Morley fended a Worrall lifter to brief leg.