http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Worcestershire-c866 vs Surrey – County Championship Division One – Surrey end Day 3 strongly
A http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 led recovery helped Surrey to end Day 3 of their County Championship Division One game on a strong note, posting 216 for 4 after being forced to follow-on at the County Ground, New Road, Worcester.
With http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in less than a week’s time, KP’s form is particularly pleasing - considering it was his first game of the current English domestic season. Following a slow start to his sub-continent endeavours, the Englishman helped
his national side to claim a first victory against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 and continued that with eye-catching performances in the Indian Premier League.
Now back at Surrey, KP again displayed his impressive adaptive prowess and helped his side to recover from a perplexing situation. After watching the home side post 285 in their first innings, the visitors faltered badly in their opening outing and were
bowled out on a lowly 113.
Worcester’s dominance could be highlighted from the fact that they used only three bowlers to dismantle the visitors batting lineup. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richard-Andrew-Jones-c84854 both collected impressive four-wicket hauls.
With a commanding lead of 172, the host sensed a pleasing return to form before tides swiftly changed in favour of the visitors, as the sun finally brightened. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jacques-Rudolph-c1619 – the lone provider for the team in the first innings with 68, departed early
after he was cleaned up by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jones-c69217. He was soon followed by veteran Mark Ramprakash, whose barren run with the batted continued – sent back without troubling the scorer.
Pietersen came to the crease to put his side on track. After scoring just 11 in the first innings, the 31-year-old was again at his explosive best – timing the ball nicely, using the feet and looking busy on the crease.
His knock included a 10-ball blitz where he notched up five fours and a maximum strike. He duly completed his fifty with a strike rate just greater than run-a-ball before becoming Jone’s fourth victim – the only bowler to claim wickets for the hosts, which
by stark contrast to their first outing, used as many as 7 bowlers in the second.
KP’s departure saw skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rory-Hamilton-Brown-c2366, and Tom Maynard stepping up to put on an unbeaten stand of 91. Both went on to score aggressive half-centuries as Surrey ended the penultimate day at a healthy 216 – an overall lead of 44.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Surrey-c851’s team director, Chris Adam, was pleased with his team’s improved performance.
"Who knows where this game will end up but the thought did cross my mind that the best way of winning was to follow-on. We have all been in a situation where you have to chase down 140-150 in a couple of sessions on a wearing pitch that is getting a little
bit more inconsistent in bounce, and if we can find ourselves in that position I will back us rather than Worcester," said Adams.
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