Day One
Hampshire’s bowlers were left frustrated after rain meant that only five overs were possible on day one of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Surrey at the Utilita Bowl.
Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards searched for the breakthrough early in the opening session, but Rory Burns (9*) and Ryan Patel (7*) stood resolute at the crease.
They guided the visitors to 16-0 until bad light initially stopped play, before persistent rain set in to ensure an early lunch was taken at the earlier time of 12pm.
The damp weather continued into the afternoon, with the second session of the day completely washed out, forcing an early tea at 3pm.
There were promising signs when it was announced that play was due to resume at 4:15pm, with 29 overs remaining in the day, however, the rain returned shorlty after and the day's play was eventually abandoned at 4:30pm, with just five overs possible.
Play is scheduled to to get back underway at 10:30am on day two.
Day Two
Liam Dawson claimed four wickets, whilst George Bailey led the Hampshire recovery on day two of their Spescavers County Championship clash with Surrey at the Utilita Bowl.
Both Dawson (4-22) and Fidel Edwards (3-70) bowled superbly as Surrey were dismissed for just 200 inside two sessions.
Bailey (51) played a superbly mature innings by helping his side rebuild from 31-5, with good support coming from Ian Holland (34*) with the hosts ending the day on 129-7.
Kyle Abbott (2-31) got Hampshire off to a brilliant start to the day, luring Rory Burns (12) into a drive in just the second over, edging to James Vince in the slips.
The wickets continued to fall as Edwards removed Scott Borthwick (0) before Abbott trapped Jason Roy (0) in front in the space of seven deliveries as Surrey collapsed from 25-0 to 35-3, rewarding Hampshire with their first bowling point.
Ryan Patel and Ben Foakes steadied the ship, progressing the visitors past 50, as Hampshire introduced both Gareth Berg and Holland to the attack in search of more wickets.
The pair brought up the fifty partnership in the 25th over, before spin was introduced for the first time in the match as the visitors edged towards three figures.
However, Foakes (47) fell short of his half-century when he struck a Dawson delivery straight to Vince at mid-wicket to end a fourth-wicket partnership worth 74 runs.
Patel moved to his maiden first-class half-century with his sixth boundary of his 99-ball innings, and alongside Ollie Pope, the pair guided Surrey to 123-4 at lunch.
The duo then brought up the fifty partnership shortly afterwards, but a crucial breakthrough soon came courtesy of Dawson in the 14th over of the session, when Pope (13) slashed the ball straight to Bailey at mid-wicket to end an important stand.
Edwards returned with a sublime spell of bowling to claim the prized wicket of Patel (81), before ripping the off-stump of Clarke (12) out of the ground.
Dawson also claimed his third wicket of the innings, with Gareth Batty (2) the next man to fall as Surrey lost four wickets in 39 balls, collapsing from 163-4 to 183-8.
Edwards was then replaced by Berg (1-34), and the seamer made an instant impact, clean bowling Curran (12) with his first ball of his spell as Hampshire claimed their third bowling point.
Stuart Meaker (3*) and Jade Dernbach (5) guided Surrey to a batting point by moving beyond 200 before the latter offered Dawson a simple return catch as the final six wickets fell for 38 runs.
Hampshire got off to a cautious start in reply with Dernbach claiming the scalps of Joe Weatherley (1) and Tom Alsop (0) in successive overs to reduce the hosts to 14-2 in the sixth over.
Jimmy Adams (14) remained watchful and punished any bad balls, but the batsman became the third wicket to fall, with Curran picking up his first wicket to leave Hampshire in a precarious position.
The wickets continued to fall, when Curran claimed the scalps of Vince (10) and Sean Ervine (0) in the space of four balls as the hosts fell to 31-5 and in need of a partnership.
Bailey and Dawson (9) steadied the innings, guiding their side past 50, but it was soon 60-6 when the latter fell flicking it into the leg-side, with Pope taking a good catch diving forwards.
Ian Holland came in and took the initiative, hitting a flurry of boundaries to help his side move clear of trouble whilst forming an important stand with Bailey.
The latter was playing a captain’s innings, and moved his side into three figures with a well-timed pull shot before the stand for the seventh-wicket moved beyond fifty, with Holland crunching hitting back-to-back boundaries.
The Hampshire captain then brought up a brilliant half-century off 81 balls, but fell moments later to Batty as the seventh wicket stand of 69 runs came to end with a few overs left in the day.
Holland (34*) remained unbeaten to end the day though as the hosts reached stumps on 129-7, a further 71 runs behind Surrey’s first innings total.
Day Three
Gareth Berg and Ian Holland both hit half-centuries to give Hampshire the advantage on day three of their Specsavers County Championship contest with Surrey at the Utilita Bowl.
Berg (80) played a sublime innings as the hosts were bowled out for 290 to hold a 90-run lead, with Holland (51) also making a significant contribution with the bat.
In reply, Liam Dawson (2-24) was the pick of the bowlers as Hampshire restricted the visitors to 135-4 at the close of play meaning they hold a narrow 45-run lead.
Holland continued his form with the bat, bringing up a deserved half-century off 121 balls with his seventh boundary as Hampshire made a bright start to proceedings.
The all-rounder was then bowled by Stuart Meaker (1-33) shortly after to end a crucial, 41-run stand as the hosts edged towards a possible lead.
Gareth Berg had played the supportive role, but took the initiative and batted responsibly with the lower-order whilst Kyle Abbott pummelled his side into a lead whilst earning their first batting point.
Berg raced his second half-century of the season in style, smashing Batty for a maximum to reach the landmark, whilst also bringing up the fifty partnership with Abbott (37*) as the pair continued to score quickly.
The all-rounder surpassed his previous highest score against Surrey, and the pair guided their side to a useful position on 247-8 at lunch, with 118 runs coming in a strong session for the hosts.
Berg moved Hampshire to their second batting point in the first over of the afternoon session, but his important innings came to an end with the score on 263-9.
Surrey decided to take the new ball and in the second over after it was taken, he feathered behind to give Jade Dernbach (3-51) his third scalp.
Fidel Edwards (20) provided some lower-order entertainment, recording three consecutive boundaries before Tom Curran (4-69) dismissed the right-hander as Hampshire were dismissed for 290.
After weathering an early storm with the new ball, both Rory Burns and Ryan Patel began positively to get their side off to a solid reply.
However, the breakthrough came in Dawson’s third over of his spell, with Patel (20) top-edging a sweep shot to Sean Ervine who took a good catch running backwards at first slip.
Dawson then claimed another wicket in his second over after tea, with Borthwick (1) feathering behind to Alsop, who took a neat catch.
Kyle Abbott (1-34) then returned and made an instant impact, bowling Jason Roy (1) with a beautiful delivery that saw his off-stump cartwheeling as Surrey fell from 44-0 to 51-3.
Ben Foakes (33*) launched a counter-attack alongside Rory Burns and the pair increased the scoring rate with a flurry of quick boundaries.
Dawson and Edwards restricted the scoring, with the Surrey pair progressing at a rate of a run per over, but they edged their side into a lead with 17 overs remaining in the days play.
Burns then moved to his half-century, whilst bringing up the fifty partnership as Hampshire rotated their bowling options, despite Dawson producing an economical spell at the other end.
The breakthrough came courtesy of Weatherley (1-21), who trapped Burns (63) in front for his maiden first-class wicket as Surrey moved onto 122-4.
Foakes and Ollie Pope (11*) ensured there were no further alarms, taking Surrey to 135-4 at the close.
Day Four
Rain thwarted Hampshire's chances of chasing victory against Surrey as the wet weather ensured their Specsavers County Championship fixture ended as a draw at the Utilita Bowl.
Surrey's Ollie Pope (100*) recorded his maiden First Class century and added an unbroken partnership of 154 for the fifth wicket with Ben Foakes before captains George Bailey and Gareth Batty shock hands to end the game at 4.30pm.
Rain washed out all but five overs on the opening day, and despite two full days, rain on the morning of the fourth day ended hopes of a positive result.
The players eventually made it to the middle at 2pm, but with the bowlers finding no reward prior to tea, the match was declated a draw.
The result ensures Hampshire keep hold of their third place position in Division One by taking an additional bonus point, with Surrey remaining fourth.
