A late flurry of wickets from injury replacements Matt Dunn and Ryan Patel put Surrey on top on Day One at Edgbaston, but Henry Brookes and Liam Norwell destructively took control at the close.
The visitors had a depleted attack as Sam Curran and Conor Mckerr are sidelined with injuries, with Patel and Dunn, who hasn’t played a championship game in two seasons in. For Warwickshire, newly signed Michael Burgess from Sussex, is unavailable as his contracted loan is not due to start until 1stJune.
Warwickshire, in pursuit of their first County Championship victory started strong and they remained wicket-less for the majority of the morning session, which included a short rain delay in the 12thover. Surrey bowled well throughout the morning, but seemed to lack a threat to openers Wil Rhodes and Dom Sibley, who reached 50 without loss off 19 overs.
It was spin that looked increasingly threatening. Gareth Batty made the breakthrough, getting Dom Sibley trapped LBW for 17 off 68 balls. He then struck again, 2 overs later, with the penultimate ball before lunch. This time Rhodes fell LBW for 39 off 80 balls, Warwickshire going into lunch 63-2.
Yates was the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session, as Morne Morkel secured his first wicket of the match when he smashed one into the 19-year old pads, to dismiss him for 20 just his second first class match.
As the rain came again in the 37thover, a break resulted in the loss of 10 overs although this didn’t halt Sam Hain and Adam Hose, who reached their 50 partnership just before tea. Surrey did challenge them at points, with balls falling short of fielders, narrowly missing off stump and edges flying through slips. Nonetheless, a breakthrough never came.
This partnership proved pivotal, as the loss of five wickets in 10 overs that followed in the evening session put Surrey on top for the day. Dunn got consistency with the ball, dismissing Hain for 47 off 11 balls and subsequently breaking the resilient 72-run partnership between himself and Hose.
Patel bowled Liam Banks for just one, then five balls later Dunn Bowled Hose for 38. He struck again 10 balls later, dismissing Ambrose for one as well. Patel then dismissed Patel of the Warwickshire variety for 8, thanks to an excellent catch at first slip by the former Bear, Rikki Clarke.
Liam Norwell and Henry Brookes saw out the day for Warwickshire in an impressive manor, putting on a captivating 89 run partnership off 15 overs, which between them included 13 fours and two sixes. Norwell reached his 2ndfirst class half-century in a destructive fashion, off just 42 balls, including 10 fours.
It was an incredible partnership, that took a very strong position away from Surrey, as Warwickshire concluded day one on 275-8, with 3 wickets for Dunn, 2 for Batty and Patel, and one for Morkel.
