Hampshire Denied Victory By Surrey Fightback

Hampshire were denied a survival-boosting victory in the Specsavers County Championship as Surrey responded to the visitors' mammoth total with 248-3 before rain at the Kia Oval confirmed a draw.

Morning wickets for Liam Dawson and Brad Wheal gave Hampshire real hope of securing 23 points from a maximum 24, but a century partnership between Kumar Sangakkara (84*) and Arun Harinath (57) meant Hants had to settle for 12 points at the end of an otherwise dominant performance at Kennington.

Despite Surrey quashing Hampshire's victory charge, the visiting side will reflect on their penultimate game of the 2016 season with fond memories, after Tom Alsop, Sean Ervine and Ryan McLaren compiled unforgettable first-innings centuries on days two and three. Optimism was further boosted by defeats for the other sides looking to evade relegation in Warwickshire and Durham, who travel to the The Ageas Bowl on 20th September.   

When the sides met at the The Ageas Bowl in July, Hampshire were confronted with the task of keeping out Surrey’s bowling attack in order to avoid defeat, to which they were cruelly subjected with 28 balls left in the match. Two months on, roles were reversed on the final day at the Kia Oval as Hampshire set about taking ten wickets to clinch a second away victory of the season and boost their chances of Division One survival.

Beginning well during the morning session by taking Surrey’s opening pair, their hopes of bowling out their opponents were dealt a major setback by a century stand from Arun Harinath and Kumar Sangakkara, who looked certain the reach his hundred in the evening session before rain set in.

Before lunch, Dawson had forced a loose prod from Rory Burns (18) and Hants’ young century hero Tom Alsop pounced at short leg to end the opening partnership at 49 runs.

Brad Wheal then took his fifth wicket of the match to reduce Surrey to 91-2 in the 37^th over, as Dominic Sibley (44) was caught excellently down leg side by an agile Lewis McManus, diving to his left. 

After Surrey’s post-lunch resistance, Ervine, who had batted majestically to make 158 not out on day three, rejuvenated the visitors’ optimism by striking with his second ball, as McManus produced another athletic catch to remove Harinath.

It was to be the final breakthrough though, as a downpour interrupted a fifty partnership between Sangakkara and Steven Davies (29*), with Surrey 248-3 in the 83rd over, and rain showers continued to confirm a match Hampshire had controlled on days two and three as a draw.

The visiting side take 12 points from Kennington, with Surrey's batting resilience earning the home side a total of nine.