v Surrey LV= at The Oval

Ponting century frustrates Notts

Day Four

A characteristic gutsy century from former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting frustrated Notts this morning  just as a charge to victory was starting to gather momentum. With only occasional bite for both White and Patel, studious batting was needed by the hosts to stop the rot and that is what Ponting delivered, pushing the Surrey lead beyond 100 with the help of Zafar Ansari.


Post lunch two quick wickets from Samit Patel have reinvigorated the bowling side but Ponting still stood resolute 123*.  Surrey 321/7 

Surrey were 356/8 at tea with Ponting guiding the game to a draw with Jade Dernbach

Surrey 395/8 dec when hands were shaken - Surrey 5 points Notts 10 at 16:50


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Ricky Ponting stands firm as his fellow Surrey partners fell in the first quarter of an hour at the Oval. 186/2 became 189/4 with the aid of a de Bruyn-less run out by David Hussey. Harinath made 69.

Half an hour later, 218/5 but Ponting staying put; Andre Adams bowling with the new ball (after Gurney had done the damage with the old ball) bowling Steven Davies for 8.

Day Three

Dernbach cuts off Notts' tail

Surrey spent much of day three chipping away at the Nottinghamshire lead after Notts had added another 50 today before being all out 410,  a lead of 212. Samit Patel 110.

Surrey at stumps 186/2 Harinath 69* Ponting 41*

Mullaney ton takes Notts into the lead..........................and Samit Patel extends that lead.

Day Two

A terrific century opening stand between the makeshift pairing of Riki Wessels and Steven Mullaney ended on 105, Wessels 47 LBW bowled Tremlett. Inform Lumb came in at 3 but fell soon after the lunch break to a similar dismissal to the first wicket for a two little ducks 22.

 Titch Taylor got bogged down immediately and ended up being stumped off the former Lancastrian Keedy. At this juncture opener the Nottinghamshire Lancastrian Mullaney was also bogged down in the 80s but with the introduction at 5 of Samit Patel, Mullaney's batting regained its fluidity, reaching his ton off 185 balls, but soon after the first batting point was gained Mull went on 104 to Zafar Ansari's left armers, 204/4.

David Hussey (37) came in and upped the tempo again but only lasted until the second batting point was got 265/5, that brought Captain Chris Read to the wicket who with Patel took the visitors to another point. Read became Tremletts third wicket 325/6.

Samit Patel and Ajmal Shahzad steered Notts to a fourth batting bonus point 356/6 after 110 overs.

At stumps 360/6 from 114 overs, leading by 162, Samit Patel 87* Ajmal  Shahzad 10*

 Day 1

 Sorry Surrey fluff their lines

At 1030 yesterday things looked decidedly bleak for Notts, having spent a week travelling the north of England they lost an absolute crucial toss as Surrey captain Batty had no hesitation to bat first on a wicket expected to turn during its later stages. Surrey quite frankly fluffed their lines and batted abysmally.

Hales remained out of the championship picture and Wessels remained in the team from the Sussex game. Lumb replaced Franks and with the wicket expected to spin square White returned from his loan spell with the Cobblers and replaced Fletcher.

Surrey made untroubled progress until left hander Harinath (4) edged Shahzad bowling from the Pavilion End to second slip where Patel took the catch; 16 for one. In the 14^th over of day, veteran Solanki (8) was plumb leg before to Adams, 42 for two. The large crowd of around 2,000 relaxed in the sun as Burns who had batted well at TB and Ponting put Surrey back on even keel. The wicket was playing well and no chances were being offered and then on the stroke of lunch Rory Burns tickled a legside ball from hard working Gurney and Read took a simple catch, 93 for three and Notts had had a satisfactory morning. Burns’ 57 came off 115 balls with seven fours.

Ponting (29) on his final first-class appearance of his career was caught at short leg off Patel bowling from the Vauxhall End shortly after lunch, Surrey 105 for four on the flat wicket. Zander de Bruyn and Davies added 33 runs in 14 overs. deBruyn was reluctant to move his feet, he survived a lucky edge from Shahzad, but the serial wafter who played a similar awful shot at TB earlier this season was out in the same over as he edged to Read for 16, 138 for five after 53 overs, and the scattering of Notts fans could not believe their luck. Ansari came to crease and played a dour innings of 41 balls until just on tea was caught rather fortuitously by Wessels at short leg as preserving White got his first wicket, 175 for six.

The procession continued after tea as eight to Jack all got blobs. Batty edged the returning Gurney to Read. Tremlett got involved in terrible mix up with Davies and was run out by Gurney. Dernbach a strange choice at number 10 ahead of Gary Keedy edged White as Read took his fourth catch. Keedy lasted eight balls before being bowled middle stump by Shahzad. Davies who had made untroubled progress was left unbeaten on 65 off 102 with six fours. Notts had bowled wholeheartedly and bowed very few bad balls but had no standout bowler, quite simply Notts had taken all the chances offered and Surrey had failed to cash in on the flat deck. Shahzad finished with three for 43, Gurney two for 37 and White two for 24.

Tremlett looking half cooked and Dernbach were played easily as makeshift openers Mullaney (22*) and Wessels (22*) added 50 in the remaining 18 overs of the day.  I will be hugely disappointed if Notts do not take a substantial lead of 150 plus. If the pitch follows a similar pattern to last year’s game it should turn from day 3 onwards. Surrey have included three spinners in their line up. Notts though have stronger batting line up on show with Lumb (who missed last year’s fixture and Taylor in fine form and I also expect Hussey to make a much greater impact on the game compared to Voges’ efforts last season. Interesting the Australian was not fielding in the slips yesterday, spending most of the day at square leg. This is a crucial fixture as a Notts victory would give them breathing space over a Surrey side who that flatters to deceive. MAG