Read the latest Second Eleven match report from their match against the MCC YC.

A water-logged ground meant that the whole of the first day’s play of the Second XI Championship match v the MCC Young Cricketers at Radlett Cricket Club was lost. On the second morning the MCC captain Mark Tomsett won the toss and, rather surprisingly, chose to bat first on a pitch that still showed signs of dampness and which the Surrey seam bowlers exploited well. Mohammad Akram dismissed Chris Thompson in his first over and Jade Dernbach accounted for the other opening bat, Jeffers in his third to leave the home side on 10-2. Wickets fell steadily through the morning session as trialist, left-arm seamer, Jonathan Miles picked up three wickets and Neil Saker took another. By lunch the Young Cricketers had struggled to 96-6. Three more wickets fell quickly in the early afternoon as they tumbled to 125-9, but at this time the last pair Simon Roberts (34*) and Joel Pope (50) offered the first real resistance of the day, adding 98 for the last wicket. MCC YCs final score therefore reached an unlikely 233. The wickets were shared among the Surrey bowlers with Dernbach taking 2-41, Mohammad Akram 2-37, Neil Saker 2-46 and Jonathan Miles 3-53.

Tea was taken and negotiations took place between the two sides to try to produce a meaningful game from the remaining time available. Surrey forfeited their first innings and after tea the MCC YCs batted again to set a target for Surrey to chase on the final day. The pitch had by now lost its demons and at the close MCC YCs had reached 108-4 declared, with Charl Malan scoring 29, Jeffers 22 and Mark Tomsett 28.

On the third morning Surrey were set a target of 332 from a minimum of 96 overs. Chris Murtagh fell cheaply to leave Surrey on 17-1 but Chris Schofield then joined Richard Clinton at the crease and they added 99 for the second wicket as Schofield thrashed 59 from 70 balls with two sixes and eight fours. Clinton continued to anchor the innings, being 40 at lunch out of a total of 120-2. After lunch Clinton and Arun Harinath shared a stand of 134 for the third wicket as Harinath took over Schofield’s role of attacker. His powerful 83 from 114 balls included two sixes and twelve fours. Another good partnership, between Clinton and Gary Wilson added 58 for the fourth wicket when Clinton’s mammoth innings of 116 came to an end, caught off the bowling of Simon Roberts. His third century of the season came from 247 balls with 15 boundaries and his innings had lasted five minutes short of five hours. Wilson (29*) was joined by Danny Newton (10*) making his 2nd XI Championship debut, who struck the winning runs to take Surrey to a six wicket victory.

Report written by Second Eleven Scorer, Jennifer Booth

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