Surrey in charge after Linley’s burst

Surrey's Tim Linley appeals for a wicket. Photo credit: Matthew Impey/EMPICS

Thursday, September 6, 2012
7:00 AM

LV= County Championship Division One (day 2): Surrey v Nottinghamshire

Tim Linley took five for 62 to help give Surrey a first-innings lead of 42 over Nottinghamshire on day two of the LV= County Championship Division One clash at the Oval.

But for Chris Read’s unbeaten 85 Nottinghamshire, who could only muster 227 in reply to their hosts’ 269, would be out of contention.

Read - who batted for four hours, faced 186 balls and hit a six and eight fours - found a lone ally in 19-year-old Sam Wood (45) as the trio of Linley, Murali Kartik and Stuart Meaker shared the spoils.

Meaker did the early damage, accounting for Riki Wessels with an inswinging delivery before picking up his 50th wicket of the season in first-class cricket when Adam Voges was relieved of his off stump.

A stunning catch at second slip by Jason Roy saw off Alex Hales, though not before James Taylor had glanced and cover-driven fours off Meaker.

Surrey turned to Kartik as early as the twelfth over and Steven Mullaney promptly despatched the 35-year-old slow left-armer through the off side.

But, on the stroke of lunch, the visitors lost a fourth wicket when Linley nipped one back in to Taylor to make it 56 for four.

With Mullaney playing down the wrong line to Kartik to go lbw shortly after the break, the visitors were indebted to Read and Wood’s 92-run alliance in 30 overs.

Wood, whose 104 against the West Indies was one of the few highlights of England Under-19s’ disappointing World Cup campaign, went to tea on the back of a superb off-driven four off Meaker.

Wood made 45 before guiding Kartik into the hands of Rory Burns at forward short leg. Ten balls later, Graeme White was bowled by Linley off an inside edge.

Read moved to a 143-ball half-century with his fifth four, which disappeared through extra cover, but wickets continued to fall at the other end.

Ben Phillips, attempting to pull Kartik, was bowled for 14 and Luke Fletcher was trapped leg before by Linley, who drew a line under the Nottinghamshire innings by having Harry Gurney lbw playing across the line.

Read did, however, collect three boundaries in the space of three balls, including a straight six, in what proved to be the final over of the day.

Earlier, Surrey’s last-wicket pair secured a second and much-needed batting point for the relegation-threatened hosts.

Linley pulled Fletcher’s third ball through square leg and two overs later, Meaker took Surrey past the 250 mark with a thick edge for four.

But Gurney picked up figures of four for 47 when Linley was rapped on the shin by a shooting delivery.