Surrey opener Dom Sibley carried his bat for the sixth time in his profession and made an unbeaten century to rescue the champions in opposition to Hampshire on day certainly one of their County Championship match at The Oval.
The 29-year-old was unbeaten on 100 when Surrey have been bowled out for 253 after being put in.
Hampshire misplaced Fletcha Middleton to a high quality ball from Dan Worrall which nipped again to hit center stump within the second over of their reply, however Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins took them to 55-1 from 16 overs at stumps, 198 behind.
Hampshire have misplaced their final 4 video games at The Oval and haven’t gained there for 17 years, however their assault justified skipper Ben Brown’s choice to bowl first on a typical Oval pitch that began with protecting of grass.
Their seamers shared eight wickets with Brad Wheal (4-65) the choose of their assault, however they might not take away Sibley. He carried his bat 5 occasions for former county Warwickshire and solely Geoff Boycott (eight) has now batted via a accomplished innings within the County Championship extra occasions since World Warfare Two.
Sibley supplied one sharp likelihood on 54 which was put down by Toby Albert at brief leg, however in any other case he accrued with typical endurance and willpower. There was some help all through the day for Hampshire’s seamers, however they have been aided by some poor shot choice too. Surrey will really feel their whole was under-par for the situations.
Sibley misplaced his opening associate Rory Burns within the second over when Wheal discovered simply sufficient seam motion and the Surrey captain edged to second slip. Kyle Abbott then picked up Ollie Pope (14) who edged a supply he might need ignored to first slip.
Probably the most aggressive stroke play of the day got here from Jamie Smith, whose 39 off 35 balls included seven fours, three of them lashed in a single over from the New Zealander Brett Hampton.
Smith had helped Sibley take the rating to 96 when he upper-cut Wheal to 3rd man and Sonny Baker parried the ball simply contained in the boundary rope earlier than finishing the catch. Hampshire confirmed it had been their morning within the final over earlier than lunch when Ben Foakes (14) performed on to Abbott.
Wheal obtained simply sufficient away motion to defeat Dan Lawrence’s unfastened drive and go away Surrey 129-5, however Sibley discovered a helpful ally in Ryan Patel for a lot of an absorbing afternoon session. They added 68 in 29 overs for the sixth wicket earlier than Patel mis-timed a pull off Hampton and lobbed up a simple catch to mid-off within the penultimate over earlier than tea.
In a uncommon present of aggression Sibley calmly swatted Liam Dawson over the huge lengthy on boundary however on the different finish Jordan Clark, Matthew Fisher and Kemar Roach fell cheaply after tea and when final man Dan Worrall got here out Sibley was nonetheless 15 runs wanting his century.
One other six, this day off Wheal over square-leg, took him into the 90s and with Worrall, who has made two fifties in his profession, wanting comfy on the different finish Sibley duly reached the twenty third hundred of his profession earlier than taking the acclaim of a crowd of 5,639.
He batted simply shy of six-and-a-half hours, confronted 217 balls and hit 9 fours as he grew to become the primary Surrey batter since Burns in 2017 – additionally in opposition to Hampshire – to hold his bat.
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