An explosive 17-wicket second day at The Oval ended, remarkably, with Liam Patterson-White and Lyndon James producing the best partnership of an absorbing low-scoring match to tilt the potential championship title decider Nottinghamshire’s manner.
At 219-8 of their second innings, Notts are 277 runs forward of Surrey and after Patterson-White fell for 58, the most effective particular person rating of the match thus far, they noticed Brett Hutton (23 not out) and Josh Tongue, unbeaten on 14, add extra important runs earlier than the shut.
Matt Fisher did his greatest to maintain Surrey within the sport with 5-57, eradicating James for an 84-ball 47 simply earlier than Patterson-White’s personal courageous knock ended, to finish a maiden profession 10-wicket match haul following his opening day 5-61 in Notts’ first innings 231.
Surrey had earlier crumbled from 101-1 to 173 all out within the top-of-the-table match, a primary innings deficit of 58, however Notts then slid to 89-6 second time round earlier than batting circumstances appeared to ease finally and Patterson-White and James placed on 91 in 23 overs.
James’ runs accomplished a tremendous day’s work for the all-rounder, who had earlier picked up 3-35 because the Notts seam quartet rocked Surrey, who’re chasing a fourth successive County Championship triumph.
Tongue additionally impressed with 3-43, as did Hutton (2-31) and Dillon Pennington (2-41) to earn Notts three bowling bonus factors and deny Surrey a single batting level.
Consequently, the 2 groups stay separated by only a single level – as they had been earlier than the sport – as they proceed the scrap for the 16 factors out there for a victory which can properly determine who finishes the season as county champions after subsequent week’s ultimate spherical of matches.
Patterson-White confronted 90 balls, pulling Tom Lawes for six and likewise hitting 5 fours, earlier than Dan Worrall had him properly held at second slip to go away Surrey to chase a fourth innings goal more likely to be round 300 – a stiff job on a pitch nonetheless giving the sooner bowlers loads of encouragement.
Notts’ second innings had begun badly with Worrall angling one by way of Ben Slater’s defences to bowl the left-hander for 4, whereas Haseeb Hameed was leg-before for 14 to Fisher’s sixth ball.
Joe Clarke and Freddie McCann additionally went lbw to Fisher, for one and 11 respectively within the bowler’s subsequent two overs, and it was 53-5 when Jack Haynes inside-edged the rampant Fisher on to his leg stump to go for 16.
Kyle Verreynne made 18 to assist James rally Notts slightly in a helpful stand of 36 however the South Africa wicketkeeper seemed distraught when adjudged caught behind off Worrall within the second over of the ultimate session.
However then Patterson-White emerged at quantity eight to frustrate Surrey’s bowlers in alliance with James, with the day two motion being watched by a crowd of just about 3,500 – taking the mixture championship attendance on the Oval this season to 80,484, a twenty first century report.
The primary hour of the morning gave no trace of the carnage to return with Surrey captain Rory Burns and nightwatchman Lawes, resuming on 43-1, taking their second wicket partnership to 59 with few alarms.
The thirty third over of Surrey’s innings, nevertheless, lit the touchpaper for the ensuing fireworks with Lawes initially additional cowl driving after which pulling James’ medium tempo for 2 fours in three balls to counsel that bat was lastly getting on prime of ball.
It was solely a mirage as a result of Lawes, on 22, then stretched out to drive James and solely succeeded in lifting a cushty catch to cowl. And his dismissal was the start of a startling collapse which noticed Surrey lose 9 wickets for simply 72 runs in 20 overs both aspect of lunch.
Burns went for a gritty 97-ball 47 within the subsequent over, leg-before to Hutton, and 5 overs later Ben Foakes edged James behind. Dan Lawrence departed for a three-ball duck, within the subsequent over, crushed twice by Hutton’s outswingers earlier than giving a catch to mid on off a vanguard from an inswinger.
And it turned three wickets in three overs when Ollie Pope, to his clear annoyance, nibbled at one from James and gave McCann a waist-high catch at second slip.
Pope’s dismissal for 11 left Surrey reeling at 129-6 and, quickly after lunch, it acquired worse for the champions when Ryan Patel tried to play Tongue’s tempo from the crease and was leg-before for 4.
Tom Curran’s 11 was curtailed by Pennington’s nip-backer and one other profitable lbw attraction and the tip of the innings was nigh when Gus Atkinson nicked an unplayable leg-cutter from Tongue to Verreynne.
Fisher provided a couple of high quality strokes however on 13 edged Tongue to second slip however by tea no fewer than 5 prime order Notts wickets had additionally tumbled as the sport moved on at breakneck tempo.
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