The Second XI’s season kicked off this week with a visit to Garon Park in Southend for a scheduled four day match. On winning the toss the Essex Captain, Tony Palladino, had no hesitation in asking Surrey to bat first.

On a wicket described by Surrey Skipper, Stewart Walters, as “very hard work”, openers Richard Clinton and Chris Murtagh put on 38 for the first wicket before Clinton was out for 16, caught at first slip.

Murtagh followed shortly after offering a return catch to bowler Alex Roberts for 28 and Chris Schofield fell cheaply. Walters and Gary Wilson took the score to 74 for three by lunch. Wickets fell steadily throughout the afternoon session which was marred by a horrible injury to Stewart Walters when a short ball flew from his bat to hit his cheek, resulting in a triple fracture. Walters will be out of the game for some weeks. To cap his bad luck the ball was caught by first slip and the umpire had no choice but to give him out. The Surrey total dropped to 99 for six but some spirited batting resistance came from the Surrey bowlers as Stuart Meaker and Neil Saker (26) added 38 for the seventh wicket. The highest stand of the innings was for the last wicket when Simon King with a career-best 44 from 89 balls with 7 fours and Tom Jewell with 28* put on 64 to take the Surrey total to 218 all out. Bowling honours were shared among the Essex players – Palladino two for 53, Chambers three for 44, Westfield two for 62 and Roberts two for 37.

There was time for 15 overs of the Essex innings on the first day in which Tom Huggins and Grant Flower took their side to 41-0 at the close. On the second day rain wiped out all prospect of play until after the scheduled tea interval, leaving a minimum of 40 overs to play on the day. Although wickets were extremely hard to come by, the Surrey bowlers were well on top as the batsmen, Flower (27), Huggins (19), Chris Marsden (26*) and Tim Phillips (19*) scored painfully slowly in a session dominated by 28 maiden overs. The most economical of the bowlers were acting Captain Chris Schofield 11-7-8-1, and Murtaza Hussain 7-6-6-0 and Essex crawled to the close on 119-2.

Play started on time on the third morning but bad light, followed almost immediately by rain forced the players from the field after only twenty minutes. It was possible to resume play after lunch but only for one and a half overs in which Neil Saker took the wicket of Chris Marsden, caught by Schofield at gully. With Essex on 131 for three thunder, rain and hail put an end to the proceedings of the day but when the skies lightened the two sides warmed down with a game of football which Surrey won 4-2. On the fourth morning the sun shone but the damage had been done. Wet patches on the bowlers’ run-ups did not respond to the sun and the game was abandoned as a draw. Surrey took 6 points and Essex 7 but this was reduced to 5 as a penalty for their slow over-rate.

Add to Del.icio.us Digg it share on Facebook (What is this?)

• Get the Surrey CCC County Shirt, 07/08, Adults, Ivory/Brown