Day Three

Surrey’s relentless bowling attack ran through Hampshire to set up an innings win at the Utilita Bowl and continue the London-based side's unbeaten start to their Specsavers County Championship campaign.

Amar Virdi and Morne Morkel both grabbed three wickets, with Rikki Clarke following his five-for in the first innings with two more scalps – as they won with Hampshire with 58 still in arrears.

Light had been adjudged too bad to start the innings having been bowled out for 135 late on day two, and the opening seven overs were negotiated without too much trouble from Joe Weatherley and Jimmy Adams.

But in the eighth over Adams was pinned by left-arm quick Sam Curran in front of off stump.

James Vince unfurled six boundaries in a typically stylish innings – with two drives, one off the front, the other off the back, foot particularly pleasing to the eye.

But he was undone by some fantastic keeping from Ben Foakes as the the glovesman whipped off the bails with Vince attempting to whisk through the offside against Amar Virdi.

As the top order fell, Weatherley patiently waited for his chances to attack.

The former England Under-19 captain saw off the new ball and built the basis for an impressive and long knock.

He reached his second Championship half century of the season, from 121 deliveries, having perfected the late cut after lunch. But he was run out without scoring another run.

Partner Rilee Rossouw drilled a drive at Morkel at extra cover, which was misfield, the South African called through a third run which saw Weatherley short of his ground after a relay between Morkel, Jade Dernbach at the bowler’s end and Foakes.

Rossouw attempted to make up for the misfortune with a punchy innings of his own, while wickets fell at the other end.

Morkel used all the skills gained over his 86 Test career to produce late away movement to clip the top of Lewis McManus’ off peg.

Likewise, Rikki Clarke used his long and great, first-class career to swing the ball back from leg stump at Gareth Berg and have him lbw, before moving it the other way to dismiss Brad Taylor leg before.

Kyle Abbott shouldered arms at a Virdi sharp turner before Dale Steyn prodded Morkel to Ollie Pope at gully – who splendidly caught to his right.

Fidel Edwards was then caught fending Morkel to short leg, with Hampshire bowled out for 175.

Surrey make it three wins and two draws this season and claimed 23 points from the match to Hampshire’s three.

Day Two

Rikki Clarke took a textbook five-wicket haul to complement Rory Burns’ stunning 151 as Surrey forced Hampshire to follow-on at the Utilita Bowl.

All-rounder Clarke who ended with figures of five for 29, reached the milestone for just the fifth time in his first-class career.

The hosts were left 233 behind when stumps were called eight overs short of the allotted number.

Surrey had reached 368 from their first innings as Rory Burns became the highest run scorer in the Specsavers County Championship and Fidel Edwards celebrated his sixth five-wicket haul for Hampshire.

But the Burns show turned into a seaming masterclass from Morkel and Clarke, with more than capable assistance from Jade Dernbach and Sam Curran.

Dernbach was the first to strike, in the 16 overs before tea, as he found opener Joe Weatherley outside edge on the drive before Clarke completed the catch at second slip.

Morkel and Clarke then teamed up after the interval, with Morkel attacking with his awkward short pitch bowling, and Clarke methodically hitting his lengths at the other end – the nine over spell yielding three scalps.

James Vince edged Clarke, while attempting to defend his off stump, to Scott Borthwick at a forward diving second slip.

Opener Jimmy Adams had fended off the new ball, with a few close caught behind appeals, during his 69-ball vigil but was lbw to Clarke for 13.

Sean Ervine, playing his first Championship innings of the summer, followed an over later as Morkel opened his red-ball account for Surrey – by tickling the inside edge of the Zimbabwean’s bat.

Hampshire stumbled to 83 for five when the patient Curran bowled Lewis McManus with a delivery which kept its line and hit the top of off stump.

Rilee Rossouw provided some respite with a typically energetic and at time brave 47, as he copped two blows on his left hand.

But his innings ended when he guided Morkel to Ollie Pope at gully, with Gareth Berg leg-before to Clarke and Brad Taylor caught by Borthwick at second slip attempting to avoid a vicious Clarke bouncer.

Abbott was bowled by Curran before Edwards was caught behind to complete Clarke's haul and bowl Hampshire out for 135.

Earlier, Burns and Ben Foakes had continued where they had left off on a truncated opening day at the Utilita Bowl.

Captain Burns, who was dropped at first slip on 126 moved past 150 in 199 balls before departing with just another single to his name as he was bowled while swinging across the line against Brad Taylor

Burns now has exactly 500 runs for the campaign more than anyone else, having overtaken Hashim Amla, and now boasts a career average of nearly 91 against Hampshire.

The wicket ended a 199-run stand with Foakes, and seven balls, without another run added, later the wicket-keeper was lbw to Fidel Edwards for 90.

The new ball saw a renaissance from Hampshire, with Dale Steyn claiming his maiden first-class wicket for Hampshire when Curran drove to Adams at second slip.

Wickets then fell at regular intervals as Edwards, along with Steyn, kept plugging away – Clarke caught by Rossouw in the hook on the boundary, Dernbach was lbw, Pope caught behind and Amar Virdi bowled.

Day One

Rory Burns produced an almost flawless century against Hampshire as Surrey recovered from an early blip to finish positively on a truncated day one at the Utilita Bowl.

Captain Burns reached an unbeaten 109 by the close of play to boost Surrey to 216 for three in the Specsavers County Championship clash.

Surrey had elected to bat on a good batting wicket, with barely a cloud in the sky, although it would become more overcast throughout the day.

Mark Stoneman is aiming to reclaim his England Test spot back from Keaton Jennings in the coming weeks, but only faced two balls on this occasion.

The opener holding his bat out to a Fidel Edwards away seamer which flew to Jimmy Adams at second slip – Stoneman still yet to pass 30 this season.

Two balls later Scott Borthwick poked into the offside and took off to take on Brad Taylor’s arm – but a direct hit saw him a foot short of ground.

Burns had been watching the unfurling chaos at the non-striker’s end but used his seniority to ease Surrey away from a major collapse.

Burns had gone into the fixture with a first-class average of 84 against Hampshire – with his career best 219 not out coming against the county last year.

He got going with a fantastic pull stroke and straight drive off Edwards in the seventh over.

Burns, along with Ryan Patel, were up against South African Test legend Dale Steyn, on his red-ball debut for Hampshire, Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards – the trio boasting 997 international scalps.

But the third wicket added 82 before Patel was pinned lbw going backwards to a Taylor delivery for 34.

The recovery continued as Burns reached a 67-ball half century as he was joined by Ben Foakes.

Despite movement, often late, off the seam, Hampshire’s attack couldn’t find a way past the pair – with Burns continuing to impress on the drive.

Burns’ only slight mishap on his way to three figures was a thin edge which was spilled behind, otherwise his display was faultless.

The right hander moved to three-figures from 135 balls, which included 13 fours, for his third ton of the campaign.

Foakes, who ended the day unbeaten on 68, scored his fifty from 77 deliveries as he and Burns amassed 133 for the fourth wicket.

Foakes particularly enjoyed facing off-spinner Taylor, with four of his 11 boundaries coming off him.

Nine overs had been lost when lunch was prolonged by an hour, before rain once again took time out of the match at tea to lose a further 14 scheduled overs.

But just eight balls into the 20 allotted overs were managed before umpires Billy Taylor and Neil Mallender took the players off again.

Words: Press Association