Day 1
The start of our penultimate Championship game was delayed by 45 minutes due to rain and when it began only 4 overs were possible before rain again halted play.
A very young Yorkshire side reached 14-1 with Tom Fraine being caught at 3rd slip and Yash Vagadia 9 not out against a much more experienced Surrey side also featuring former Tyke, Matthew Fisher.
Lunch was taken but due to persistent drizzle play was abandoned for the day shortly before 3pm.
Day 2
Heavy overnight rain along with several showers delayed the start of play until after lunch – it commenced at 2.45pm with 47 overs left in the day.
Ten runs were added before Vagadia was bowled by Matthew Fisher having made 17. A further rain break led to an early tea on resumption Fisher took 2 further wickets in an over having Kelly caught at 2nd slip and Owen Smith caught at mid wicket (43-4)
Jawad Akhtar and Joe Thompson added 58 in 85 balls but, having been dropped twice in the slips Akhtar was caught behind for 41 made from 63 balls with 7 fours. Thompson made 38 from 55 with 6 fours but he too was caught behind off Griffiths.
As the weather closed in, again, Peter Greenfield was 11 not out and Ed Burch 0 not out before bad light caused play to be abandoned with Yorkshire 119-6.
Day 3
Day 3 commenced with only 32 overs having been bowled in the match. Only 4 more were possible before another rain interruption. An early lunch was taken and following further inspections play commenced at 1.30pm.
The second over of the afternoons play saw Ed Burch caught behind by substitute keeper, Ben Foakes. Charlie Taylor was lbw to give Matthew Fisher his 4th wicket. Peter Greenfield and Brad Sylvester added 28 for the 9thwicket before another Foakes catch gave Fisher his 5th wicket and he wrapped up the innings with his 6th wicket having Greenfield lbw for 28 made from 61 deliveries – Yorkshire all out for 173.
Jay Singh had Thomas caught by Taylor at slip for 1 but Blake and Gorantla remained unbeaten at tea; 69-1. The latter brought up his half century from 71 balls with 10 fours but on 59 he was bowled by Subhaan Ali (his debut wicket) – the pair had added 163 for the 2nd wicket in 175 balls.
Blakes half century came from 76 balls and his century from 139 balls and he was caught at deep square leg for 108 by Noah Kelly off Ed Burch. Matthew Fisher batted at 4 and hit 40 from 26 balls before being caught by Ali at third man and the day ended with Surrey 253-4, a lead of 80.
Day 4
The final day was pleasant weather wise but not on the field. Resuming at 253-4 a further wicket fell for the addition of 16 runs, however Sykes blasted 58 from 47 balls before being caught at deep cover by Jawad Akhtar off Jay Singh and when Ealham was caught at deep mid-wicket for 36 from 23 the declaration came at 384-7; a lead of 211.
There were 79 overs left in the day and around 40 minutes until lunch, however our top 3 were all dismissed during this time – Vagadia caught at mid-wicketr for 7; Fraine taken at 3rd slip for 4 and Kelly caught at mid off for 2; lunch 29-3.
Akhtar was very well caught low down at point first ball after lunch and Joe Thompson taken at slip for 19 and we were 68-5. This became 95-6 when Greenfield was caught behind. Owen Smith remained resolute throughout all this and he reached a half century from 53 balls with 10 fours. He added 71 with Ed Burch however he was bowled the last ball before tea for 72 from 84 – tea 166-7.
Burch made 48 unbeaten but unfortunately the last 3 wickets fell quickly at the other end as we were dismissed for 181.
Our final Championship game starts on Monday 8th September against Somerset at Taunton Vale.
