PERFECT START FOR STONEMAN
Durham deserter living the dream with Surrey
MARK STONEMAN admits to having sleepless nights since deserting Durham after their enforced relegation but he made himself at home at The Oval on the opening day of the County Championship season with a super Surrey debut.
The signing of Stoneman and fellow ex-Durham player Scott Borthwick are major reasons why Surrey are fancied to win Division One and the opener showed why yesterday with an impressive 165 against Warwickshire.
It was a perfect start for Stoneman, who admitted that he had never dreamed he would end up living in London. It also looked promising for Surrey, who racked up 327 for three.
Warwickshire captain Ian Bell took advantage of the rule that allows the visitors to bowl first but it backfired. His attack had no answer to Stoneman and Kumar Sangakkara, unbeaten on 47.
New Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance had a better day. He may have been found out at Test level but he is a proven county perfomer, scoring 120 in his side’s 273 all out against Hampshire at Headingley.
Yorkshire were without star batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root,t, rested by England, and an attack hitit by injuries to Ryan Sidebottom,m, Jack Brooks, Liam Plunkett t and David Willey. But their depth was evident as 23year- old Ben Coad ripped Hampshire apart with five for 18 as they crashed to 58 for five by the close.
At Chelmsford, Lanca- shire’s Dane Vilas top-scored d with 74 as his side were dis-dismissed for 319 by Essex, whoo lost two cheap wickets in reply.
The season’s first wicket fell at Grace Road, where Nottinghamshire’s Stuart Broad dismissed Paul Horton of Leicestershire for six in Division Two.