SURREY v GLAMORGAN

Career-best scores of 121 by David Lloyd plus 68 from Joe Cooke helped Glamorgan reach 379-4 at the end of the opening day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match against Surrey under clear blue skies at The Kia Oval.

Close of Play Report

David Lloyd was on the cusp of his fourth Championship hundred, all of which have come on away grounds, when play began after tea at the Kia Oval with Glamorgan on 238-2 and the North Walian unbeaten on 97. He duly reached three figures in the second over of the session - and his first century in the competition since scoring a career-best 119 against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 2018 and his first as an opening batter – by nurdling Will Jacks to third man.

Eddie Byrom also found the ropes by twice reverse-sweeping Dan Moriarty for four as Glamorgan eased to a second batting point, before the new recruit pulled a short ball from Jacks to the ropes at mid-wicket. Lloyd greeted the return of Rikki Clarke by cover-driving the veteran before Byrom pulled him for another boundary. Lloyd then square-drove Clarke for four before surpassing his previous best with another cover drive before Byrom square-drove Moriarty. But later in the over Byrom jaywalked down the wicket and was stumped by Ben Foakes as Surrey claimed their first bowling point.

287-3 then became 289-4 as Lloyd’s valiant innings ended as he miscued a drive against Amar Virdi with Jacks at cover pouching the leading edge as Kiran Carlson and Chris Cooke joined forces. The latter crisply cover drove Virdi for four before Surrey took the new ball after 80 overs with Reece Topley and Jordan Clark returning to the fray. A deft glide through point by Cooke brought his side their third batting point before Carlson square-drove Topley for four.

Cooke then repeated the stroke in Topley’s next over before Carlson unfurled a well-timed cover drive when Clarke returned to the attack. Cooke also square-cut Clarke before Carlson upper-cut Topley to the vacant ropes at third man. Surrey then switched back to spin as Cooke clipped Moriarty to fine-leg for another boundary. Carlson then swept the spinner to fine-leg as the 350 came up in the 92nd over before dabbing him through backward point for a pair of fours.

Teatime Report

As on the opening day of the Gloucestershire match last week at Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan enjoyed the better of the morning session reaching 125-1 at the interval. Amar Virdi and Reece Topley resumed the bowling duties with Joe Cooke nurdling the latter through the slips for four before unfurling a pair of sumptuous cover-drives to bring up their fifty stand.

Cooke also advanced down the wicket to regally cover-drive Virdi before Lloyd swatted Topley through point for four to bring up the 150. Cooke again went down the wicket to launch Virdi over mid-off for four before guiding successive deliveries from Jordan Clark through the vacant gully for a pair of boundary to complete his maiden Championship half-century before a series of singles by Lloyd brought up the century stand.

Lloyd greeted the return of Dan Moriarty by flicking the left-arm spinner to fine-leg for four before Cooke outside-edged the twirler to third man as Glamorgan reached the 200-mark and their first batting point in the 56th over. Cooke also cover-drove Rikki Clarke for a pair of elegant fours when the veteran all-rounder, who is playing his final Championship match before retiring, returned to the attack in tandem with Dan Moriarty.

The latter duly ended the second wicket partnership which had added 125 in 37.1 overs as Cooke miscued a drive against the left-armer into the hands of Ollie Pope at mid-off. Eddie Byrom began with a thick outside-edge for four against Moriarty before Lloyd top-edged a cut through the hands of Clarke at slip. In the penulimate over before tea, Byrom struck successive fours as he clipped a full toss to mid-wicket before driving the spinner through extra-cover. 

Lunchtime Update

The Welsh county, who won the toss and opted to bat first, made three changes to their line-up with Nick Selman, Ruaidhri Smith and Timm van der Gugten being replaced by Joe Cooke, Callum Taylor and Jamie McIlroy. Hamish Rutherford and David Lloyd opened the batting against Reece Topley and Jordan Clark with the latter being off-driven by Rutherford for the day’s first boundary before the Kiwi flayed the former through backward point for four.

Lloyd also cover-drove Clark for a pair of fours whilst Rutherford on-drove the former Lancashire seamer for another boundary. Lloyd also clipped Clark to the boundary boards at mid-wicket before Rutherford flicked him to fine-leg. Given the straw-coloured surface it was no surprise that Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin was introduced at the Vauxhall End in the twelfth over with Lloyd, after some watchful reconnaissance, on-driving the twirler for six before sweeping the next delivery for four. The North Walian was then dropped by Amar Virdi at long-leg as he pulled Rikki Clarke with Rutherford pulling and off-driving the next couple of deliveries for four.

Surrey opted for an all-spin attack as Amar Virdi entered the attack at the Pavilion End for the 21st over with the off-spinner being drilled over long-on for four by Lloyd before trapping Rutherford l.b.w. 88-1 saw Joe Cooke join Lloyd and he began by on-driving Virdi for a couple of fours before Lloyd completed his fifty from 72 balls by driving Topley to the ropes at mid-wicket. He celebrated by square-cutting Virdi for another boundary before Will Jacks became the third spinner to bowl in the morning session as the off-spinner had a couple of overs before lunch.

A career-best and record-breaking 205* by Chris Cooke helped Glamorgan declare on 672-6 - the third highest total in their proud history - on the second day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match against Surrey at The Kia Oval. By the close, Surrey were 45-0 in reply.

Close of Play Report

Chris Cooke was unbeaten on 186 at tea and fourteen runs short of completing a maiden Championship double-hundred. His sixth-wicket stand with Dan Douthwaite had already added 182 in serene and unflustered fashion, but it ended in the second over of the session as Douthwaite lofted Virdi to long-on where Will Jacks completed a good running catch. Callum Taylor replaced him in the middle and square-cut Moriarty for four before sweeping Jacks for four as Cooke continued his progress towards his personal landmark with a brace of singles.

Taylor on-drove Moriarty for four before bringing up the 650 by sweeping Jacks for six, followed by a wristy square-drive through point, plus a firm square-cut later in the over. Cooke then reached his double-century as he on-drove Jacks for two - his 295th delivery – before celebrating his achievement by square-cutting Jacks for his eighteenth four. At the end of the over, he duly declared the innings on 672-6 exactly 24 hours after arriving at the crease yesterday with his team’s efforts only surpassed by totals of 718-3d against Sussex at Colwyn Bay in 2000 and the 702-8d against Surrey at The Oval in 2009.

Surrey had a fraction over an hour’s batting before the close with Michael Hogan sharing the new ball with Jamie McIlroy who had appeared in the opening Championship match of the season at snowy Leeds and, having recovered from a stress fracture, was now returning to 1st team action in sunny London. However, his first three deliveries were each clipped to fine-leg and long-leg for four by Ryan Patel before the opener straight drove the left-armer for four during his second over.

Jamie Smith also off-drove two deliveries from McIlroy to the ropes before Andrew Salter’s off-spin was introduced in the twelfth over with Smith also punching him off the back foot for a boundary before surviving a sharp stumping chance as he advanced down the wicket. He then on-drove Salter for a pair of fours as the Surrey openers saw their side through to the close.

Teatime Update

Chris Cooke was unbeaten on 92 when play resumed after lunch with his side on 466-5 and on the verge of recording his eighth first-class hundred and his third of the summer, with Will Jacks and Amar Virdi continuing the bowling duties. Cooke began by clipping Jacks to fine-leg for four before reaching three figures by late cutting Virdi to the ropes at third man – his ninth four and 178th delivery.

Dan Douthwaite continued his sequence of singles with some firmly struck drives off both front and back foot before Cooke pulled Moriarty for six to mid-wicket, followed by a reverse-sweep against Virdi as Glamorgan – for the first time this summer – reached 500. He celebrated by repeating the reverse-sweep against the off-spinner with the ball speeding away for four before Cooke drilled Jacks through extra-cover for four.

The Glamorgan captain then brought up the hundred stand by twice drilling Ryan Patel through the covers before Douthwaite struck his 100th delivery for his first boundary as he straight drove Patel for four. Douthwaite repeated the stroke to the next ball before the 550 came up later in the over as the all-rounder lofted Patel over extra-cover as Glamorgan, for only the third time, reached the 550-mark in the Championship against Surrey having previously made 702-8 at The Oval in 2009 and 550-6d at the same ground in 1936.

With the tempo haven risen, Cooke dispatched Jacks through extra-cover for four before reaching his 150 by clipping Reece Topley to mid-on for a single – his 230th delivery. His efforts also beat Eifion Jones unbeaten 146 against Sussex at Hove in 1968 for the highest individual score by a Glmaorgan wicket-keeper. After another series of deft dabs and flicks, Cooke lofted Amar Virdi over mid-wicket for four before square-cutting him to the ropes. He then square-cut Virdi to beat his previous highest score in first-class cricket - 171 against Kent at Canterbury in 2014 – before Douthwaite completed his fifty from 132 balls.

Another single by Cooke saw Glamorgan reach 600 for only the sixth time in their first-class history, and the first time since 2014 when they posted 615-7 against Gloucestershire at Bristol. Cooke celebrated by straight-driving Moriarty for four before reaching 186* at tea.

Lunchtime Update

Giuseppe Verdi won fame and fortune by composing operas such as Aida, Il Trovatore and Stiffelio - after events yesterday at The Kia Ova, Guramar Virdi and his fellow Surrey spinners could be forgiven for thinking that they might also be ‘stiffelio’ by the end of this game as they bowled 55 of the 97 overs yesterday on a parched and used surface as Glamorgan reached 379-4 with plenty more work for the slow bowlers to come today as the Welsh county look to consolidate on this decent position.

Chris Cooke and Kiran Carlson, who had already added 90 runs in 20.3 overs last night, resumed against Dan Moriarty and Reece Topley with a fifth and final batting point within strolling distance. Carlson completed his fifty by punching Moriarty off the back foot into the covers for a single – the 68th ball he had faced – before square-driving Topley for four. Shortly afterwards, Cooke also reached his half-century with a single through the offside against Moriarty – his 85th delivery – before continuing to accumulate in a series of singles with his erstwhile partner.

Cooke found the ropes after three-quarters of an hour’s play as he drilled Moriarty to the boundary boards at mid-wicket before Virdi and Will Jacks returned to the attack as spinners operated at both ends. The change did the trick as Carlson, on 69, swept Jacks to backward square-leg where Moriarty completed a fine diving catch.

Dan Douthwaite duly made his way to the middle with his side on 429-5 as Cooke continued to quietly work the ball around chiefly for one’s and two’s. Douthwaite duly followed suit as he watchfully played himself in, with Moriarty also returning for another spell. Shortly before lunch, Topley returned at the Vauxhall End for a brief spell of left-arm seam but the two Glamorgan batters continued their serene and steady progress under the azure-blue skies.

Surrey are 387-2 at the close of the third day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match against Glamorgan at The Oval, in reply to the Welsh county’s mammoth first innings total of 672-6.

Close of Play Report

When play began after tea, Surrey had lost just two wickets during the day’s play, with each being taken by Eddie Byrom with his wrist spin and, resuming on 272-2, they were were still 400 runs in arrears. With 80 overs having been bowled, the new ball was duly taken as Michael Hogan and Jamie McIlroy returned to the attack, with Ollie Pope cover-driving Hogan and Hashim Amla flicking McIlroy to fine-leg.

Pope also nurdled McIlroy to the vacant ropes at third man before the left-armer spilled a caught and bowled chance from Amla. The veteran batter responded by square-driving McIlroy for four before Pope brought up the 300 by cover-driving Hogan. Joe Cooke then entered the attack for the first time in red-ball cricket and was off-driven by Pope, with Callum Taylor also returning to the fray.

On 328 the 1,000th run of the match was scored as Amla flicked Taylor to mid-wicket for a single – a milestone greeted by a ripple of applause from the observant crowd. There was further clapping in the next over as Pope nurdled Cooke for four to reach his fifty from 85 balls. The Surrey captain then greeted the return of Byrom by pulling a short delivery for a one-bounce four before Amla almost chopped a ball from the bowler, with a Chaplinesque run-up, onto his stumps as he under-edged an attempted cut.

Pope also pulled Byrom for four before sweeping him for another boundary. Shortly before the close, Hamish Rutherford’s left-arm spin was also employed before Amla was dropped at first slip as he edged Taylor.

Teatime report

Surrey were 140-1 when play resumed after lunch having lost their first wicket in the final over before the interval, delivered by Eddie Byrom. Callum Taylor and Michael Hogan continued the bowling with Hashim Amla cover-driving the latter for four followed by a crisply-struck stroke through backward point. The veteran Springbok also flicked Taylor to backward square-leg for four before pulling Dan Douthwaite for four when the former member of the Surrey academy joined the attack.

Smith also clipped Taylor to square-leg for four before square-cutting him for three, followed by a single to mid-on to complete his century. He celebrated by dispatching Douthwaite through mid-off for a pair of fours as Surrey secured their first batting point. Smith then greeted the return of Salter to the attack by on-driving him for four before Amla repeated the stroke next over.

Jamie McIlroy had another spell and was on-driving by Smith for a trio of sumptuous fours before Byrom returned to the attack and with his third delivery had Smith caught down the leg-side by Chris Cooke with the opener departing for a career-best 138. 247-2 saw the arrival of Ollie Pope, the acting Surrey captain, and he began by punching Salter through extra-cover for four before playing a rasping square-cut to a short, wide delivery from Byrom.

Lunchtime Report

Glamorgan’s first visit to The Oval for Championship cricket since 2014 has so far been a personal success for the Club’s captain and his deputy with Chris Cooke and David Lloyd each posting career-best scores, whilst collectively the visiting batters amassed their third-highest total in first-class cricket on the parched and straw-coloured surface. Their bowlers are now set to take centre-stage today and tomorrow with Surrey resuming on 45-0 and needing to make over 522 to avoid being invited to follow-on – something that Glamorgan have only done three times before in Championship matches against Surrey and only once before at The Oval, back in 1934 in a match when Johnnie Clay, the legendary off-spinner, claimed 12/84 to see the Welsh county to an innings victory.

Such a scenario was some way off as Michael Hogan and Andrew Salter resumed the bowling duties to Jamie Smith and Ravi Patel with plenty of cloud cover above the South London ground. Patel flicked Hogan to fine-leg before Smith clipped the veteran to mid-wicket for another boundary. Patel also edged Hogan through the slip cordon for four before being dropped by Eddie Byrom at first slip. Smith also off-drove Salter to the ropes before Patel did the same to Jamie McIlroy when the left-armer entered the attack at the Pavilion End.

Smith duly completed his half-century from 112 balls before Callum Taylor replaced Salter at the Vauxhall End, with Patel punching him off the back foot for four through point before drilling David Lloyd though backward point as the 100-stand came up in the 38th over. A single shortly afterwards saw Patel complete his fifty who celebrated by square-driving Lloyd for four.

Smith then had a life as Hamish Rutherford at mid-off failed to cling onto an off-drive against Taylor with the opener celebrating his good fortune by off-driving and on-driving the off-spinner. Byrom then had his first bowl for his new county shortly before lunch with Smith cover-driving the leg-spinner for four, but the Zimbabwean-born cricketer made the breakthrough as he claimed his first wicket in first-class cricket as Patel, playing forward, edged to Lloyd at slip.

Glamorgan’s final LV=Insurance County Championship match against Surrey at The Oval ended in a tame draw with the home side declaring on 722-4 - the second highest total against the Welsh county in first-class cricket after Ollie Pope had made a career-best 274.

Close of Play Report

With the match meandering towards a tame draw, Pope had been bowled by Hamish Rutherford in the final over before the interval so it was Rikki Clarke – in his final game before retiring – who joined Ben Foakes as the last rites of this run-fest began at 3.30pm. Clarke was fittingly given a guard of honour by the Glamorgan players and umpires as he made his way to the middle. It wasn’t long before he opened his shoulders lofting Salter straight for four.

Foakes also drilled a long-hop from Rutherford for four before on-driving Salter for four before Glamorgan took the new ball after 190 overs with Michael Hogan also taking over as wicket-keeper as Kiran Carlson returned to the attack in medium-pace mode. Four leg-byes from his second ball saw Surrey reach 701 as for the fourth time a team had reached this total in a Championship match against Glamorgan with Surrey also equalling their previous highest score in games with the Welsh county – 701-9 at Sophia Gardens in 2001.

At the Pavilion End, Chris Cooke then had his first ever bowl in first-class cricket – with gentle seamers - as, for only the third-ever time, Glamorgan employed all eleven bowlers – the previous occasions being against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1951 and against Gloucestershire at Bristol during 1965.

An on-drive four, followed by an off drive against Cooke saw Foakes to his fifty as Surrey’s total also went past Northamptonshire’s total of 712 at Wantage Road in 1998 to become the second-highest total against the Welsh county. After another over from Carlson, plus one more from Cooke – with Hogan standing up to the stumps - the players shook hands as the game and the 2021 season ended.

Teatime Report

Ollie Pope had moved from 95 to 194 during the morning session with Surrey resuming after lunch on 551-2 still 121 runs in arrears with Hashim Amla also unbeaten on 148 having so far added 304 for the third wicket on the anodyne surface. Callum Taylor and Dan Douthwaite continued the bowling as Amla duly reached his 150 from 278 balls with an ondrive for one before Pope completed his double-hundred from 267 deliveries by slashing Douthwaite to third man, but only after the all-rounder had spilled a sharp caught and bowled chance in his follow-through.

Pope then swept Taylor for four before lofting him into the stands at the Vauxhall End for six, before on-driving a full toss from Douthwaite to the boundary boards. Amla then swept Taylor to fine leg to take the total to 592 as the stand became the highest partnership for any wicket by Surrey against the Welsh county, surpassing the 344 added for the second wicket by Andy Sandham and Dick Gregory at The Oval in 1937.

Kiran Carlson duly replaced Taylor at the Vauxhall End as the Surrey 600 came up in the 161st over , but nine runs later Amla drove Carlson into Michael Hogan’s very grateful hands at mid-on and departed for 163, and ending the third wicket stand which had added 362 in 89.3 overs. Ben Foakes duly joined Pope who clipped McIlroy through mid-wicket before the new batter did the same behind square-leg. Joe Cooke then returned to the attack and was reverse-swept for four by Pope to reach his highest Championship score before nearly miscuing a drive into Carlson’s hands at cover.

Pope then off-drove Cooke to take his score to 249* and break the record for the highest score by a Surrey batter against Glamorgan in Championship cricket held by Andy Sandham who posted an unbeaten 248 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1928. Andrew Salter replaced Cooke before Pope swept Carlson for four followed by a similar stroke against Salter as his innings became the highest in the competition this year, beating David Bedingham’s 257 for Durham against Derbyshire.

Hamish Rutherford had his second spell with Pope sweeping the Kiwi for two as Surrey went into the lead shortly before tea, but in the final over before the interval, Rutherford claimed his maiden first-class wicket as Pope advanced down the wicket and was bowled for 274 - the eighth highest individual score in first-class cricket against Glamorgan.

Lunchtime Report

A draw has been on the cards for the past couple of days and in a game where 1059 runs have already been scored for the loss of only eight wickets, all to the slower bowlers. Surrey were still 285 runs in arrears when play began on the final morning – of both this match and the Championship season – with Ollie Pope and Hashim Amla each approaching centuries. Jamie Smith had reached three figures yesterday so another batting record was on the horizon as never before had a trio of Surrey batters scored hundreds in an innings against Glamorgan in a County Championship match.

Callum Taylor and Andrew Salter resumed the bowling duties with Pope completing his hundred courtesy of four overthrows as he pushed his 142nd delivery for a single to mid-wicket. Amla then cover-drove Taylor for a pair of off-side boundaries before completing his own century with an off-drive for three against Taylor – his 190th ball – and became the third Surrey batter to reach his hundred as for the first time since April 2019, during the match with Northamptonshire at Sophia Gardens, three opposing batters scored hundreds.

Pope then lofted Salter for a pair of fours to long-on, besides impishly reverse-sweeping Taylor to the ropes, whilst Amla continued to work the ball around as the double-century stand came up. The South African celebrated by driving Salter for four to long-on before Pope nearly holed out to mid-off as he played another aggressive drive against Salter. Dan Douthwaite then returned to the attack with Salter switching to the Vauxhall End and being swept and off-driven for four by Pope as he completed his 150 from 207 balls.

Pope celebrated by cover-driving Douthwaite for four before Amla off-drove Salter for four as the total reached 492 with the stand becoming the highest for Surrey against Glamorgan beating the 244 added by Andrew Sandham and Tom Barling at Cardiff Arms Park in 1936. Pope then brought up the 500 with an elegant off-drive for four against Joe Cooke before biffing the all-rounder over mid-on for four as Surrey’s deficit dipped below the 150-mark and avoided the follow-on. Eddie Byrom’s leg-spin was re-introduced with Pope pulling his first ball for four before the seemingly infallible Surrey batsman punched Salter through the covers for four. Kiran Carlson then became the tenth bowler in the innings as he had a trundle shortly before lunch.