The Surrey bowlers all worked hard to control the Hampshire batsman and leave them seven wickets down at the end of day two. Wickets were shared around as Surrey head into day three with a lead of 74 on a difficult scoring pitch at the Rose Bowl.

James Ormond followed from where he had left off from day one, when he moved the ball across the left-handed James Adams, found the edge and Jonathan Batty took a good catch low to his left. Hampshire were 13 for two and Surrey were looking to capitalise on the perfect overcast bowling conditions. Ormond was extremely persistent and making the batsmen play and Matthew Nicholson also bowled with control, yet failed to really threaten as Michael Lumb and Michael Brown eked out some runs. In the 25th over of the innings Pedro Collins found the edge of Lumb’s bat, but Chris Jordan dived across from second slip, taking the ball from out of Mark Butcher’s path and the ball fell to the ground. A chance that left Hampshire 100 for two at lunch after Surrey missed an opportunity to get into the Hampshire batting line-up.

Brown and Lumb both reached 50 shortly after lunch, but it was to be Surrey’s session. Chris Jordan was bowling a fiery spell with the wind behind his back and was rewarded when Brown edged a cut shot through to Batty for 66. This was the start of a period where Surrey put the pressure on and proceeded to claim 5 wickets for 31 runs as Hampshire fell from 146 for two to 177 for seven at tea. Jordan was fired up and he almost had two in two balls as Chris Benham played a false hook shot, but Batty failed to hang on to a difficult chance after running some 30 yards to reach the swirling ball. Jordan did not have to wait long for his second wicket when he trapped Lumb LBW for 60 with an in-swinger.

Saqlain Mushtaq then came to the fore as he had a chance to attack the new batsmen. First he baffled Benham with a doosra to bowl him for 1. Then Saqlain removed the dangerous Dimitri Mascarenhas with some beautiful flight, resulting in a return catch to the off-spinner, leaving Hampshire 162 for six. With the pitch now offering variable bounce Surrey were looking to keep going through the Hampshire line-up. Collins then joined the party as he took a wicket with him to tea. Sean Ervine was being frustrated with not being able to score freely and then played an expansive drive to Collins, the found its way back on to the stumps and Hampshire were 177 for seven.

After tea Surrey bowled six more overs without claiming any further wickets when the umpires decided that it was too dark to continue. The Rose Bowl had been covered in cloud all day and at quarter to five it had become too dark and play was called off, with Hampshire 204 for seven.

With runs very difficult to come by a lead of the smallest amount could be crucial. Surrey will look to keep it tight and bowl with the same control on day three to stay ahead in this tight match.

Watch all the action of day two from the Rose Bowl on Surrey TV.

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