Hampshire v Surrey

When I wrote my pre-match piece I didn't send it in, which was probably just as well as I'd done so last week and I'd expected Mullally and Thorpe to be absent on international duty today, and Ben Hollioake was still the subject of a fitness question mark, since then Ben has bowled and batted well in the national league as well as fielding to his usual excellent standard and the England selectors have once again bemused me.

Now at 12:00 Mullally has taken Hampshire's only wicket of the morning so far (Ian Ward to a regulation catch at second slip for 15) and Thorpe has taken the last over of his opening spell for 10 with two well struck fours. The pitch looks good and the outfield is quick giving the prospect of rather more runs than were possible in Tuesday's National League Game. All of the Hampshire bowlers used so far have managed to get some movement with Mullally nearly getting one through Thorpe's defences and Mascaranhas being edges past the slips for four by Butcher.

The spinners started with Udal in the 23rd over who began with a long hop outside the off stump to Thorpe to give the left hander the opportunity to cut hard for the sixth boundary of his innings, there was some good bounce for the off spinner however and this was the only scoring shot off his first over. From the other end Warne open conceding a single with his first ball but also failing to keep it tight enough against Thorpe. Mullally returned the following over.

In Warne's second over Thorpe overtook his England colleague with a fine straight drive and after a wildly optimistic LBW appeal scored another boundary to reach forty. With Hampshire's two best bowlers on and Surrey closing in on 100 for one. Mullally had given up on Hants' earlier, unsuccessful strategy of bouncing Thorpe.

Surrey reached their goal first but only just, Mullally getting Butcher LBW for a well fought, but non fluent 34 with the score on 100. Warne was not too long settling into his usual rhythm. At lunch Surrey were 105 for two with the most successful players being the two I had wrongly assumed would be on England duty.

After lunch it was Mullally who was immediately into his stride not Thorpe though and the seamer bowled the batsman in the first over after a rapid, fluent forty that showed his continuing return to form. The brought the ever popular and entertaining Ali Brown to the crease, and he and his captain set out to score their runs quickly and were obliged by a prolonged spell of spin bowling from Warne and Udal on a pitch with little turn, both batsmen used their feet well, and with Brown playing as well as he did during his golden summer last year and Hollioake riding his luck with half a mind on the poor weather forecast for the weekend they raced to a century partnership.

Udal was the main victim although both players scored well from Warne. It was the return of the seamers combined with the arrival of the clouds and humidity that brought downpours only a few miles further inland late in the afternoon that broke their century partnership. Mascarenhas, much improved since his Oval appearances earlier in the season, succeeded in extracting the Surrey captain just when their partnership was on the verge of destroying Hampshire's hopes in this game utterly.

As it was for only the second time this summer - but the second in two innings -the Surrey middle order actually worked, Ben Hollioake may have only scored one, but anyone going in next after a century partnership having been cooped up in the visitors hut at the county ground deserves every sympathy (all visiting batsmen will be looking forward to the much improved facilities at the new ground next year), and everyone else contributed well although they will be disappointed to have missed out on more batting points. Brown's 71 was potent and sparkling and Thorpe and Bicknell's innings were also particularly fine. Hants can thank the foibles of the England selectors and the skill and talent of Alan Mullally for that and their toe hold in the door of this match.

Surrey's multitalented bowling attack at full strength as last year against Hants will be trying to blast or beguile the home team out for under 182 to allow a follow on. The good track should, weather permitting offer a little to both the spinners and quicks while, in company with the quick outfield and short boundary it will retain the interest of batsmen until the end.