da bet7： Spinners Gareth Batty and Zafar Ansari bagged a wicket apiece as Surreyclinched a tense 21-run win over Kent in a nerve-racking finish to their Championship Division Two match at The Oval
13-Jul-2011
ScorecardSpinners Gareth Batty and Zafar Ansari bagged a wicket apiece as Surreyclinched a tense 21-run win over Kent in a nerve-racking finish to their Championship Division Two match at The Oval.The home victory left visiting skipper Rob Key crestfallen after the formerEngland batsman almost single-handedly steered his side to the brink of successwith a captain’s innings of 162, only to miss out on the plaudits when his sidefinally went down 55 minutes into the final day.Resuming on their overnight position of 270 for 8 and in pursuit of the 52runs required for a third win of the campaign, Kent made the best of starts asninth-wicket partners Key and Robbie Joseph clipped 10 runs off their targetwithin two overs.Farming the strike intelligently from the first ball of the final day, Keyscampered two leg byes and a single in Tim Linley’s opening over then, afteranother tight two off Chris Tremlett, profited with four overthrows after a wildreturn from Tom Maynard evaded keeper Steve Davies and flew to the ropes.The bonus boundary also raised Key’s 150 after 329 minutes at the crease.taking 251 balls with 16 fours. Joseph, who took an hour to get off the mark, also played his part by bravely getting into line against England paceman Tremlett and was forced to duck undera bouncer from Linley that swung past Davies for four byes.With Kent still 29 runs shy, off-spinner Batty replaced Tremlett at thePavilion End, but again Key milked three from the over to claim the strike oncemore.Home skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown opted for spin at both ends by introducingleft-armed debutant Ansari who, after sending down a full-toss and leg-sidewide, struck with his seventh ball.As he looked to sweep from the leg-stump rough and steal the strike yet again,Key was bowled around his legs to go for an epic 162. A total of 25 runs were still needed when last-man Ashley Shaw joined Joseph, who enjoyed a let off when he pushed a sharp chance to Hamilton-Brown at silly point off Ansari before finally getting under way with a quick single.Kent posted their 300 after 50 minutes’ play but, from the very next ball, Shawaimed a pre-meditated reverse sweep at Batty only to glove a simple chance toJason Roy at short leg to fall without scoring and give Surrey their third winof the summer and, with it, 23 championship points.