Kerr hails ‘outstanding’ Somerset show against Surrey
JASON Kerr was delighted with Somerset’s performance in the drawn Vitality County Championship Division One game against Surrey at The Oval.
Surrey fell short in a fourth-day run chase. Chasing 209 in 19 overs, Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith hit 32 off the seventh and eight overs to take their stand to 90 and set up the prospect of a first win of the season for the defending champions.
Smith twice hit Craig Overton back over his head into the pavilion and pulled a short ball from Migael Pretorius over midwicket for his third six, but trying to clear long-on off the first ball of the ninth over he was well caught by Matt Renshaw running in from the boundary for 45 off 25 balls.
Ollie Pope slashed the second ball of the 10th over from Kasey Aldridge over point for six but he was bowled later in the over attempting a repeat before three wickets in nine balls ended Surrey’s challenge.
Aldridge took two wickets in the 12th over as Jamie Overton slogged one in the air and skipper Rory Burns was caught on the boundary for a four-ball duck. Lewis Gregory then held a steepler to remove Dom Sibley off his own bowling.
Lawrence was unbeaten on 53 from 34 balls when the players shook hands with five overs left.
Earlier, Gregory batted for 66 overs for 80 in Somerset’s secondinnings 351 as his determination, the loss of 18 overs in the morning to rain and the effects of a slow pitch and a Kookaburra ball which offered little assistance blunted the Surrey attack.
Gregory had come in on day three with his side five wickets down and only nine runs in front, but he got good support from
Aldridge (42) and Craig Overton (52 not out) in four-and-a-quarter hours at the crease.
Somerset head coach Kerr said: “Apart from about 40 minutes on day one we have been outstanding in this game. We showed a lot of resilience. We were close to shutting the game down but then we gave them a bit of a sniff. But Lewis Gregory and Kasey Aldridge bowled really well and I thought a draw was a fair result over four days.
“Kasey has been outstanding today with his bowling and batting today. He showed a lot of maturity under immense pressure. He’s grown as a cricketer already this season.”
Surrey’s Cameron Steel, who took nine wickets, said: “Lewis Gregory, Kasey Aldridge batted very well and Craig Overton backed it up, so it was a tough slog for us. All credit to them for the way they played on a good pitch.
“The pitch here tends to get flatter as the game goes on but I’ve got no issues with the pitch, that’s what we like to play on.
“We generally win games with the Duke’s ball by outbatting and outbowling teams over the four days but it’s harder taking wickets with the Kookaburra as it gets softer and softer.
“We would have chased whatever they set us but sadly we couldn’t get over the line, although Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence batted really well.”