Wednesday, September 4th, 2019

DEFIANT CLARKE BUT SECONDS GO DOWN TO POWERFUL SURREY LINE-UP

Xavie Clarke showed defiance with the bat for Worcestershire Seconds who went down by seven wickets to a powerful and experienced Surrey Seconds side with nearly a day and a half to spare at Guildford School.

Clarke scored more than half his side’s run, making 47 off 87 balls with five boundaries.

But no-one else make a sizeable contribution against an attack including three England internationals in Jade Dernbach, Rikki Clarke and Stuart Meaker.

The Seconds were bowled out for 88 in 43.2 overs with Adam Finch the other player into double figures although 14-year-old Ollie Walker remained unbeaten on seven.

Zain Ul-Hassan picked up two wickets but Surrey reached their 105 target in 19.4 overs.

Worcestershire resumed on 16-0 – a lead of 31 – after 18 wickets had fallen for 271 runs on the opening day.

Dernbach – Surrey’s Vitality Blast captain – made a treble early breakthrough.

Ollie Westbury (9) was caught at first slip and Josh Dell (2) and skipper and keeper Alex Milton (0) were both bowled.

Meaker worked his way through the middle order including Finch who made 12 before he was caught at second slip off a top edge.

Xavie Clarke was eventually eighth out to his namesake Rikki when lbw.

Dernbach finished with figures of 7-3-10-3 and Meaker 8-3-11-3.

When Surrey batted, Scott Borthwick (15) was caught off a leading edge at mid off by Josh Breed against the bowling of Ul-Hassan.

Dell then pulled off a fine catch at first slip diving away to his left to dismiss Ryan Patel (28) off Matt Davis.

Ul-Hassan struck again when Jamie Smith (19) turned him off his legs to Walker at square leg for the second time in the game.

But Ollie Pope, who scored 221 not out against Kent in the Specsavers County Championship last month, saw Surrey home with an unbeaten 30.

Ul-Hassan finished with 2-19 and Davis 1-40.