Stoneman knock puts Tykes on back foot
(16) C Hills 9-7 ............................ C Shepherd (3) (5) Archie Watson 9-5 (D) .......................... E Greatrex (92) Sir M Prescott 9-5 ........ Rosie Jessop (3) (31) R Fahey 9-4 ....................... D Nolan (36) R Fahey 9-2 ................. Adam J McNamara (3) (22) W Knight 9-2 ............. H Bentley (36) W Muir 8-12 (BF) ............ David Egan (3) (52) H Morrison 8-7 .................... S De Sousa BETTING: 11-4 Alnasl, 3 Traveller, 4 Heart Of Gold, 5 Natajack, 12 Unit of Assessment, Diamond Bear, 14 Beaconsfield, 16 Lord Commander. G L Moore 6 11-10 (D) ......................... Jamie Moore (17) D Cantillon 4 11-10 ..... C Shoemark (25) E De Giles 8 11-9 (D) ..... Nico De Boinville (17) P Hedger 4 11-6 (CD) ................ L Aspell (24) W Knight 4 11-5 (D2) ........ B J Powell N Mulholland 9 11-5 (CD) ........................... N Fehily (36) Mrs L Mongan 5 11-3 ....................... T Cannon (16) J Boyle 6 10-11 (CD) ........................... D Costello (24) I Williams 6 10-10 (D4) ..... T J O’Brien BETTING: 9-4 C’est No Mour, 5 Cordite, 11-2 Hollywood Road, 6 Rossetti, 7 Croquembouche, 8 Altaayil, 12 Bamako Du Chatelet, 16 Captain Peacock, 25 Ardamir.
5-2fav Slowly into stride, held up in rear, headway on outside over 2f out, led inside final furlong, stayed on well, won at Epsom Downs 1m 4f am hcp 0-85 (4) gd in Aug beating Thames Knight by 1 1/4l, 8 ran. 9-2 Tracked leader 3f, handy 3rd, 2nd again over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, stayed on, ridden out, won at Epsom Downs 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) gf in Aug beating Ode To Glory by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
10-3 Slow to break, held up, headway over 3f out, led and edged left over 1f out, headed and not quicken inside final furlong, 3rd of 8, 1 3/4l behind C’est No Mour at Epsom Downs 1m 4f am hcp 0-85 (4) gd in Aug. YORSKHIRE’S hopes of putting themselves in a position to battle against relegation from the County Championship’s top flight were rapidly vanishing on day one of their against Surrey at the Kia Oval.
The home side’s Mark Stoneman batted with the assurance of a man who knows he should be Ashesbound this winter to score a dominant 131 from 171 balls as Surrey reached 259-3 by tea.
Stoneman, back with his county after quietly impressing for England against the West Indies in his maiden Test series, in which he averaged 30 in three matches, included 22 fours in a very fine innings.
There were 11 fours in his first fifty, which arrived after just 58 balls, and he was joined by an almost equally fluent Rory Burns in an opening stand eventually worth 178 in 41 overs.
Burns, who reached his fifty just before lunch, went to 75 before being adjudged caught at the wicket off Jack Brooks, aiming towards mid wicket to a ball which pitched in line with his pads – a decision he did not seem overly pleased with after striking 12 fours from 124 balls.
Stoneman finally fell in the 57th over, edging a slash at a short ball from Tim Bresnan to slip on 131.
Yorkshire’s attack was made to look toothless by the two lefthanded openers after Surrey won a toss and chose to bat on a goodlooking pitch and in warm sunshine.
Even when they removed Burns, the 19-year-old Ryan Patel arrived to join Stoneman in a further stand of 55 for the second wicket.
Then, after Stoneman fell, Yorkshire were faced with the sight of Kumar Sangakkara – back from the Caribbean Premier League and with a championship average for the summer of 108.6 coming into this game – marching to the wicket with the scoreboard reading 233-2.
Shortly before tea, however, Patel edged a drive at Ryan Sidebottom to be caught behind for 27.
Sangakkara took up the challenge and cruised to his half century as Ben Foakes supplied the support at the other end.
Sangakkara was 71 after 90 overs, with Foakes also unbeaten on 36 .