Surrey overcame the losses of Zafar Ansari and Jason Roy to hammer home their day one advantage and pile on over 300 runs against Lancashire on day two at The Oval.
Four batsmen posted half-centuries for the hosts in the form of Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Kumar Sangakkara and Steven Davies, but rather frustratingly for the home side, none could go on to make treble figures.
Kyle Jarvis and Arron Lilley took two wickets apiece on what was a tough day for the visitors as Surrey reached 354-6 at stumps.
Lancashire took three wickets in the final session to peg Surrey back somewhat, but the hosts were able to end day two with a 67-run advantage.
Surrey resumed on 50 without loss after bowling Lancashire out for 287 on day one but it was Lancashire who made the better start to Wednesday’s play as Surrey’s opening pair of Burns and Sibley squeezed just one run from the first three overs of the day.
Two Sibley boundaries off the bowling of Jarvis in the sixth over of the day eased the pressure as Burns was able to bring up his third half-century in as many first-class matches, Surrey reaching a steady 90-0 from 25 overs.
Burns’ fifty came from 80 balls whilst Sibley was trudging along on 29 at the other end and finally brought up his half-century ten minutes before lunch from 127 balls as Surrey went in 150-0 at lunch, 137 behind.
Surrey took more than three overs to score a run after lunch, but Jarvis’ lunchtime refuel looked to have done the job for the visitors.
He took Lancs’ first wicket as Sibley dragged on for 56 before Burns’ fished at one outside off stump in the seamer’s next over and was caught by Steven Croft just 12 short of a century, leaving Surrey 163-2 after a 160-run opening stand.
Lancashire were far from out of the woods yet as Sangakkara and Arun Harinath arrived at the crease in quick succession and advanced the innings to the sound of 45 runs in nine overs, but Harinath was trapped in front by Lilley for 21 from just 34 balls after replacing Ansari in Surrey’s line-up.
Sri-Lankan veteran Sangakkara was well on his way as he smashed two sixes off spin twins Lilley and Simon Kerrigan to go to 46 and reached a half-century of his own, the 83rd of his first-class career, from just 47 balls.
Surrey’s fourth wicket partnership had time to pass 50 before tea as the hosts reached 274-3 at tea, just 13 runs behind.
They weren’t to have a first innings lead by the time the next wicket went down after Nathan Buck found the edge of Sangakkara’s bat which was held onto by Haseeb Hameed and he had to go for 67 from just 73 balls.
At 285-4, Roy’s replacement Ben Foakes arrived at the crease fresh off five catches behind the stumps in the first innings and could only last 32 balls as he was lbw to Luke Procter for 14 and after passing 50, Davies became the sixth man out seven
overs before the close.
Davies pulled Lilley to Kerrigan at midwicket to depart for 59, becoming the fourth Surrey batsman to reach fifty without going on to a century and Lilley’s second victim of the day.
Sam Curran carried his bat for an unbeaten 28 from 61 at the end of the day alongside brother Tom Curran who stood firm without scoring from 20 balls as Surrey reached 354-6 at stumps, a lead of 67.
