On a day dominated by swing and seam, Dan Worrall, Jordan
Clark, and Gus Atkinson each took three wickets. Surrey 123 for 5 (Patel 41,
Burns 39*) trails Hampshire 151 (Gubbins 45, Clark 3-29, Atkinson 3-40, Worrall
3-44) by 28 runs.
A dramatic opening day at the Kia Oval, driven by swing and seam, culminated
with Ryan Patel and Rory Burns leading Surrey to 123 for 5 after dismissing
Hampshire for 151.
Patel, who came in to join Burns with Surrey at 44 for 4, unleashed some royal
strokes in his 41 from 94 balls, while opener Burns dropped anchor in nuggety
form against the moving ball to achieve an unbeaten 39 in nearly three and a
half hours of batting. They put up 75 runs in 25 overs when Patel was bowled by
Mohammad Abbas with a viciously low delivery.
Hampshire, who placed third last season, has been one of Surrey's closest
competitors, having won consecutive titles in the previous two years, although
they have struggled on this ground in recent years. Hampshire would undoubtedly
have been thinking about the three previous crushing defeats they suffered at
the Oval in April 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Despite losing in the first innings to the Surrey quicks, they battled back
strongly with the ball, with Dan Worrall, Jordan Clark, and Gus Atkinson each
taking three wickets.
Kyle Abbott snatched Dom Sibley's off stump out of the
ground in Surrey's second over, dismissing the former England Test opener for
four, and James Fuller then forced Ollie Pope to play on for 13 as he sought to
withdraw his bat from an out-swinging delivery.
Jamie Smith, who was keeping wicket in this game because Ben Foakes was rested
by England management, was bowled for 13 on the stroke of tea by another
beauty, this time from Brad Wheal, and Abbott returned after the break to have
Dan Lawrence leg-before for 2 with a ball that shaped back into his pads.
Surrey's first wicket came in only eight balls at the start
of the day, with Fletcha Middleton edging Worrall to second slip immediately
after nicking the bowler's first delivery of the match through the cordon for
four, and Ali Orr briefly brought the fight back to the champions with some
lovely strokes against the new ball.
On 26, however, Orr flicked Clark's third ball to square leg, and Hampshire's
innings was quickly dismantled when Worrall dismissed James Vince and Tom Prest
with successive balls in the final over of a brilliant seven-over opening
performance of 3 for 21.
Vince was undone by a leg-cutter that was pitched slightly
shorter than the previous two deliveries that he had encountered with the
middle of his bat, and he edged to second slip on 5, while Prest was caught at
third slip as he pushed defensively at a brilliant out-swinger.
Liam Dawson easily punched Worrall's hat-trick ball through midfield for two,
but on three, he was caught by Atkinson's pace and bounce and dropped to first
slip.
Clark next shocked Ben Brown with some extra bounce as he resumed his eventual
eight-over performance from the Pavilion End, and the Hampshire wicketkeeper's
attempted pull resulted in a relatively simple return catch.
Nick Gubbins, who had survived a sharp high catch to first
slip from Clark when nine, with the flashing edge falling between Sibley's
upstretched fingers and away for four, was joined by Fuller either side of
lunch in a defiant partnership of 61 in 17 overs.
Hampshire were relieved to see Gubbins and Fuller steady the ship until the
former was bowled for 45 by a magnificent inswinger from Kemar Roach, who
operated from around the wicket to the left-hander.
Eight runs later, Fuller was gone for a brisk 39 from 55
balls when he uppercut Atkinson to deep cover, where Roach sprinted in ten
yards to make a fine diving catch.
Hampshire was all out in 44.4 overs after Wheal edged Atkinson behind on 12
and Abbott mishit Clark to Roach at long-on.
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