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Sean Ervine and Ryan McLaren scored tons as Hants posted their highest total of 2016
Sean Ervine (158*) and Ryan McLaren (100) scored imperious centuries and a record 186-run partnership on a hugely successful day three for Hampshire, posting 582-9 and entering the final day at the Kia Oval leading Surrey by 230 runs in the Specsavers County Championship.
Ervine reached 1,000 Championship runs to give Hampshire the opportunity of clinching victory over third-placed Surrey, who were damaged by Ryan McLaren's first century for the club and thrilling cameos from Lewis McManus (39), Gareth Berg (42) and Gareth Andrew (25).
The visitors can significantly boost their chances of survival in Division One by taking 10 wickets on the final day, after Surrey's opening batsmen, Rory Burns (11*) and Dominic Sibley (12*), replied with 23-0 off nine overs at the end of a memorable day three for Hants.
Ervine and McLaren both reached fifty during the morning session and scored 94 runs together before lunch to help Hampshire recover from losing Tom Alsop (117) and Liam Dawson (8) inside the first eight overs of day three.
Inspired by a maiden first-class century on day two for Alsop, who was dismissed with the second ball of the morning, Hampshire’s in-form pair raced Hants on to 300, securing a second and third batting point for the visitors, and moved to within six runs of Surrey’s 329-run total at the end of the morning session.
Ervine passed fifty for the eighth time this season, and for the seventh time in his last ten innings, facing 101 balls and hitting five boundaries, including a belting maximum. McLaren arrived at his half-ton after facing just 65 balls, going to the break with 12 boundaries, four runs behind Ervine.
Hampshire overtook Surrey in the first over after lunch and relentlessly chased crucial batting points, as McLaren added two more fours to his collection and brought up an impressive 100 partnership.
Ervine smacked Sam Curran for two boundaries in the 103rd over to bring up a fourth batting point and offer Hampshire a glimmer of taking all five. After the allotted 110 overs, Hants had 369-5 and McLaren-Ervine was worth 136 of them.
The left-handers went on to reach respective hundreds as a 186-run partnership - Hampshire's highest ever sixth wicket stand against Surrey - established an 86-run lead for the visitors, McLaren securing his first century in a Hampshire shirt and Ervine hitting a third in five innings, reaffirming his position as the club’s highest run-scorer.
Whilst Ervine continued to flourish, bringing up 1,000 first-class runs for the season, McLaren was dismissed two balls after his ton as Footitt finally found the breakthrough and his fifth wicket.
McManus introduced himself to the action by hitting 25 off 43 balls before tea, as the lead over Surrey extended to 123 runs, and a useful partnership with Ervine reached 65 runs before Gareth Batty struck for the first time and McManus was caught behind.
A thrilling cameo from South African all-rounder Gareth Berg boosted Hampshire’s lead to more than 200 runs, hitting 42 runs off 27 balls, including a feast of 22 runs off four balls off the bowling of Batty.
After Berg was removed, Andrew replicated Berg’s heroics as he hit 20 runs off four Footitt delieveries, taking Hampshire beyond 550, and Brad Wheal added 10 runs off two balls to spark a declaration on 582-9, Hampshire's highest total of the season.
Surrey's openers, Burns and Sibley, responded with 23 runs off nine overs at the end of day three and trail by 230 runs against Hampshire, who require a strong bowling performance to seal victory in their final away fixture of 2016.
