HALL
AND MIDDLEBROOK STEADY THE SHIP FOR NORTHANTS by Marcus Hook
Surrey 322 v Northamptonshire 283-7.
The second day at the Kia Oval proved to be one of
fluctuating fortunes for both sides. Thanks to a superb display of
seam bowling from Tim Linley, Surrey arguably have their noses in
front at the halfway stage, but if the South Londoners are to
dictate terms they will have to find a means of separating Andrew
Hall and James Middlebrook, who have so far put on 120 in 40 overs,
a record for Northamptonshire's eighth wicket against Surrey;
beating Rob Bailey and Paul Taylor's 117 at Northampton in 1999.
Linley, who has made just 21 first-class
appearances since turning out for Oxford University in 2003, and has
had spells in second eleven cricket for four different counties,
celebrated recently being handed a two-year contract extension by
picking up figures of 21-7-38-4.
The course the match was in danger of being
altered beyond all recognition when Northants collapsed from 132-2
to 163-7, sparked 45 minutes after lunch when Alex Wakely opted to
leave a delivery from Linley that nipped back to flatten his
off-stump.
Two overs earlier, Rob White had brought up his
fifty in 96 deliveries with a pulled six off Yasir Arafat, before
despatching the Pakistan all-rounder to the rope at extra cover.
That prompted Hamilton-Brown to bring Linley on at the Vauxhall End.
The change worked a treat - four balls later Surrey had the
breakthrough they were beginning to crave.
Linley then switched ends, but before he could
inflict more damage Stuart Meaker had David Sales nibbling at a
short ball to register his fourth championship duck in five visits
to the crease against the Oval outfit.
Six deliveries later, Rob White, who had played
superbly for his 78 off 136 balls, got a thin inside edge on to his
stumps. White was soon to be joined back in the dressing room by
Niall O'Brien, who attempted to cover drive a delivery from Linley
that swung away appreciably.
With Chaminda Vaas attempting to sweep a well-flighted
ball from Batty four overs later, the visitors were well and truly
on the ropes going into tea. But then a determined rearguard by Hall
and Middlebrook steadied the ship for Northamptonshire.
The eighth wicket pair even saw off second new
ball as the pitch was, once again, made to look tailor-made for
batting. In the 96th over, Middlebrook brought up the hundred
partnership with an on-driven four off Zander de Bruyn. Four overs
later, Hall clipped Batty to the boundary at fine leg to post a
potentially significant 145-ball half-century.
Earlier, the Northants openers had added 25 to
their overnight total when Stephen Peters was trapped leg before by
Linley in the twelfth over of the day. In the face of some exacting
fast bowling, Mal Loye and Rob White did well to see off the next
eighteen overs, but shortly after the introduction of Batty's
off-spin, Loye had a rush of blood to the head and was bowled trying
to lift the former Worcestershire man into the pavilion.
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