Vitality County Championship Division One, Kia Oval (day two) Surrey 262: Smith 100 & 44-3: Smith 11* Essex 180: Walter 64; Clark 3-33 Surrey (4 pts) lead Essex (3 pts) by 126 runs Match scorecard Fourteen wickets fell on an attritional day two at the Kia Oval as Surrey edged themselves ahead in a top-of-the-table contest against Essex. County Championship Division One leaders Surrey – resuming on 248-8 – made sure of a batting bonus point before being bowled out for 262 but second-placed Essex 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 44-3 in their second innings but still took their overall lead to 126.
Only Paul Walter, who top-scored with 64, and Matt Critchley (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 off. Jordan Cox was absent for Essex with him needing to have an appendix operation after leaving the field on Sunday feeling unwell. Dan Worrall and Jordan Clark took 3-40 and 3-33 respectively for Surrey.
Clark followed up his crucial early strike to remove former South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar for a 19-ball duck by later ending Walter’s combative 64 and finishing off the innings by having Bosch (12) caught at mid on. Walter, who struck Clark for six and also hit eight fours, was eventually eighth out when he miscued.
