Report Surrey edge ahead as Essex suffer Jordan Cox illness setback In-form batter absent with appendicitis as 14 wickets fall on green-tinged Oval pitch ECB Reporters Network 01-Jul-2024 • 1 hr ago Paul Walter was in the runs for Essex, but couldn't prevent a sizeable deficit • Getty Images Surrey 262 and 44 for 3 lead Essex 180 (Walter 64, Clark 3-33, Worrall 3-40) by 126 runs Fourteen wickets fell on an attritional day two at the Kia Oval as Surrey edged themselves ahead against Essex in a top-of-the-table contest that could have a significant bearing on the destination of this year's Vitality County Championship title. Division One leaders Surrey, resuming on 248 for eight, at least made sure of a batting bonus point before being bowled out for 262 but second-placed Essex, missing an ill Jordan Cox , were then dismissed for 180 in their own first innings. And, on a well-grassed pitch giving assistance to the quicker bowlers, Surrey then struggled to 44 for three in their second innings but still took their overall lead to an already handy 126.
Only Paul Walter , who top-scored with 64, and Matt Critchley , with a determined 48, held up the Surrey seam attack for any length of time - but Jamie Porter, Shane Snater and Eathan Bosch all struck new-ball blows for Essex before bad light lopped 27 overs from the day's allocation. Cox's absence was particularly unfortunate for Essex, with the in-form 23-year-old - who has scored 763 championship runs at an average of 69.36 t.
