Picture by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images. George Hill bowls against Surrey at the Kia Oval.
A confident 85 for Australian overseas debutant Kurtis Patterson and similar 86 from wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes at either end of the day helped Surrey make a commanding response to Yorkshire’s first-innings 255 on day two at the Kia Oval.
Yorkshire’s have significant to work to do to get themselves back in the hunt in this sixth-round Rothesay County Championship fixture, with Surrey closing on 384-7 from 109 overs. Their lead stands at 129.
The White Rose started the day positively, claiming two wickets in the opening 70 minutes of play through the seam of Jack White and in-form George Hill. They removed openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, caught at first slip and lbw for 31 and 29 respectively.
Patterson came to the crease at the fall of the first of those wickets, at 56-1 in the 19th over – the day’s sixth, and shared a century partnership with third-wicket partner Dan Lawrence, 31.
Both men fell lbw in the space of three balls during the first half of the afternoon, with Ben Coad getting Lawrence and Hill the Aussie as the score fell to 198-4, a deficit of 57.
Hill was once again Yorkshire’s standout bowler, returning 4-58 from 22 overs, and he has now claimed 26 wickets in Division One this summer – the second best top-flight haul.
Picture by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images. Australian debutant Kurtis Patterson was one of two batters to post scores in the eighties for Surrey today.
While conditions were easier for batting today, there was still assistance there for the bowlers, and Yorkshire kept their hosts honest. Though, the county champions were able to repel that threat and put themselves into a winning position at the halfway stage.
There were a couple of injury concerns today for Yorkshire, with seamer Jordan Buckingham not taking the field after tea because of an issue with his hip, while captain Jonny Bairstow took a blow on his left hand and didn’t keep after tea.
Bairstow did field but Jonny Tattersall took the wicketkeeping gloves.
Left-handed Patterson was classy for 11 boundaries and pulled his compatriot seamer Buckingham for six in a 140-ball knock which was ended when Hill trapped him lbw with one angled in from around the wicket.
That left Surrey at 198-4 in the 55th over after lunch and was the second of two wickets in three balls after Ben Coad had trapped Lawrence in front for 31.
Lawrence had struggled with a back problem either side of lunch and looked somewhat immobile as he played back to Coad.
Picture by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images. England World Cup winners Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy are in opposition at the Kia Oval.
Lawrence and Patterson had shared 114 for the third wicket either side of lunch from 86-2.
Foakes and Jason Roy shared 67 for the fifth wicket, including the latter hoisting Adam Lyth’s part-time off-spin down the ground for six in 26. But Lyth got his revenge with the help of Hill at slip, who held onto a sharp catch at the second attempt four balls into the evening – 265-5 in the 78th over.
Ryan Patel edged Hill to second slip in the 91st with 306 on the board before Foakes and Jordan Clark united to take their side beyond 350.
Foakes played in similar fashion to Patterson – classy, finding the gaps and capitalising when the bad ball came. He hit 14 fours in 149 balls.
However, it would have been a significant frustration when he felt for one outside off-stump and edged Hill behind – 351-7 in the 103rd – falling short of another century following the 174 not out he scored in last week’s draw against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
All-rounder Clark attacked late in the day trying to get Surrey up to 400 for a fourth bonus point inside 110 overs, and that is something which will be decided tomorrow when he resumes on 41.
Picture by John Heald. Ben Coad was one of three Yorkshire bowlers who struck once apiece today, in support of George Hill.
Clark batted to the backdrop of celebrations from some Crystal Palace fans in the stands at the Kia Oval after their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City at Wembley.
One over remains in that pursuit of bonus points, and Yorkshire will also need two wickets for a third bowling point. Thankfully, however, they did rectify an over-rate which stood at minus four at one point, getting that back down to level.
