Recent Match Report – Hampshire vs Surrey 2023

Surrey 270 (Pope 91, Abbas 6-64) and 247 for 1 (Pope 122*, Sibley 79*) beat Hampshire 254 (Brown 95, Lawes 4-58) and 258 (Gubbins 84, Worrall 5-40) by 9 wickets

Typically, scorecards can lie. This one for the primary assembly of Surrey and Hampshire within the 2023 County Championship is doing simply that.

As a result of this was a detailed sport. No, actually. At the least for probably the most half. For the primary three-and-a-half days, the back-and-forth between these two elite foes was straight out of a Tarantino flick. Sadly, so was the end – a one-way slaughter inflicted by a sole protagonist.

Neither had given a lot away, however Hampshire arrived on the Kia Oval on Sunday in possession of the higher hand. Even when their lead of 182 was ultimately capped at 242, Surrey’s job of knocking these off was removed from sure in opposition to a global calibre assault on a pitch now scarred with indentations.

There is no improper place to begin with Pope’s brain-melting 122 not out, however we’d as nicely go straight to the start of the night session. As a result of, actually, that is what you are right here for – the brutality.

That was when this immediately grew to become a one-sided, nine-wicket pasting. Perhaps it is unfair on Hampshire to explain it as such, however to see their XI powerless to cease an assault that noticed the remaining 145 runs ticked off in 20.2 overs underlined the tectonic shift in proceedings. Pope was liable for 100 of them in 70 deliveries, and who is aware of what number of scars.

Maybe probably the most damaging offshoot of Pope’s innings was it made you neglect how troublesome cricket actually is.

He straight drove Mohammad Abbas for 4, then minimize him backwards of level the next over. With that, a thought – why do not extra batters attempt that in opposition to a bowler who averages 23 in Check cricket and 18.31 within the Championship?

Confronted with a bouncer from James Fuller, Pope stepped out of the best way and helped it over the keeper’s head, prefer it was a roll of bathroom paper and he was making an attempt to teepee the Pavilion. Given the danger related to the pull shot – not least to your bodily well being – why do not extra gamers try this? This manner appears to be like simpler and extra enjoyable, too.

Even these within the stands, hooting and hollering all through this eleventh first-class century on the Oval prefer it was his first, began taking it without any consideration. Within the final quarter-hour, a botched reverse paddle drew loud sighs from Surrey supporters now drunk on boundaries, as if it had been a name for final orders. Pope sorted them out with ones for the street, ending the match with back-to-back sixes off Felix Organ into the Vauxhall Finish.

It is vital to notice this was way over England’s No.3 indulging in a rascal hand for the sake of it. There was as a lot utility right here as in his first innings of 91 in powerful circumstances throughout days two and three. The acceleration from a calming begin of twenty-two off 32 going into the tea break was very a lot ruled by the sunshine. When he and Sibley walked again out at 4pm, it didn’t appear like it could maintain till 6pm, which might have left round 16 overs unbowled. Each side had been shaking arms by 5:20pm.

Sibley was way over only a stagehand in Pope’s one-man present, by the best way. He provided a helpful counter-point for the 63 runs he offered to the match-sealing stand of 193, and a really completely different right-hander to bowl to. He riffed off Pope with some outrageous pictures of his personal, no less than relative to the tucks to midwicket he had subsisted on earlier than that remaining break. Past extra intent together with his pictures, there was a little bit of innovation when he pulled out a swap of toes however not of arms to comb a uncommon boundary on the off facet. The final 43 of his 79 runs got here off 52 deliveries.

The way of the end belies the scenario hours earlier, when it actually felt Surrey would wish extra of the 72 overs left within the day to chase their goal of 243. That that they had that many to work with was a testomony to their bowlers, who polished off Hampshire’s second innings early sufficient for Burns and Sibley to have a 20-minute taster earlier than lunch.

Surrey wanted simply 22 overs to take the remaining 5 wickets, and did so with such management that solely 45 was added to the in a single day lead. That was in the end achieved with the primary dismissal of the day when Tom Lawes had Nick Gubbins caught by Sibley at first slip.

Gubbins started Sunday with 79 from the evening earlier than, and was understandably watchful, leaving loads of deliveries Lawes was angling throughout him. Fairly than snare the left-hander with one which got here again in, Lawes merely tweaked his line straighter. It was sufficient for Gubbins to supply the bat – and in flip, the sting – because the 20-year-old discovered sufficient seam motion with the outdated ball.

After maintaining tabs on the scoring till the brand new ball, Kemar Roach struck twice, eradicating the damaging James Fuller after which knocking again Kyle Abbott’s off stump. On the different finish, Dan Worrall rounded out a 3rd five-wicket haul for the membership, bouncing out Keith Barker after which ending off Hampshire by claiming Abbas lbw.

These seamers spent the remainder of the day with their toes up, getting on them to salute Pope’s century, which he obtained to with a 4 clipped by means of sq. leg off his 93rd supply. They remained standing till the ultimate blows confirmed a win achieved by greater than only one man, even when he is the one one we will rave about.

With that sizeable purple ink, not solely does Pope now common 99.62 for Surrey at his dwelling floor, however he’s additionally averaging 125.88 in opposition to Hampshire throughout 12 knocks. This was a sixth hundred at their expense.

Extra importantly, Surrey are up and working of their title defence. Victory after final week’s stalemate at Lancashire takes them second and is a sizeable blow to a Hampshire outfit gunning for the crown after beginning their very own marketing campaign with a complete victory over Nottinghamshire.

These two will meet once more within the season’s remaining spherical, which was earmarked as a possible winner-takes-all encounter earlier than the season started. This match doesn’t change that on paper, however the method of the outcome will take a look at Hampshire’s resolve. As will the truth that, with Check cricket achieved by August and worldwide white ball set-up robust sufficient to not want him, Pope will likely be again seeking to lay it on them once more.