Benning stakes his claim

Published 16 April 2006

James Benning has already been in blistering form so far this season and today was no different.

Starting the day on 39, Benning blasted his way to his third first-class hundred to help Surrey declare
James Benning, on his way to his third first-class century their first innings on 533-5, with the students 115-3 in reply, when rain stopped play shortly after the tea interval.

The Surrey all-rounder hit 120 earlier in the week against Sussex and today he showed all who came to see the reasons why he should be selected in the Surrey line up for Wednesday’s match against Derbyshire. He finished with an unbeaten 122 from just 99 balls and this included 21 boundaries and two sixes.

The Brown Caps started the day on 375-4 and quick runs were the order of the day. Ali Brown and Benning kept the runs flowing quickly but Brown was dismissed just 13 shy of his century with the score on 422. Ian Salisbury then joined Benning and the pair added 111 runs at an electrifying pace before skipper, Mark Butcher thought enough was enough, and he declared the innings closed shortly before the lunch interval.

Surrey paceman, Mohammad Akram, who was the leading wicket Mo Akram
Mohammad Akram finished with 3-16 taker in the Championship for Surrey last year with 43 wickets, then set about dismantling Durham UCCE’s top order with a devastating opening spell that saw the students reduced to 14 for three. He finished with figures of 3-16 from 12 but some spirited batting from James Morris and Nicholas Lamb, who have put on an unbeaten 101 for the fourth wicket, have all but buried Surrey’s hopes of getting a win out of this game. Morris, the more dominant partner, finished the day on 64, which included 11 boundaries.