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Tanya Aldred<\/p>\nKey events<\/p>\n
Lawrence double century puts Surrey in charge against HampshireTanya Aldred<\/p>\n
On a spearmint green pitch at the Oval, Dan Lawrence had one of his unstoppable days \u2013 an unorthodox tub-thumping of Hampshire<\/a>. With fierce eye and rampaging bat he bashed 218 off 190 balls, and became the first player to hit four Division One centuries this season, with his highest first-class score.<\/p>\n The Oval had been the site of Lawrence\u2019s maiden first-class hundred, for Essex in April 2015, when he was only 17. Eleven years later, it was the venue for his first double century, reached with a peerless inside-out drive over extra cover. All around the ground spectators rose, as they had when he passed 100 and 150, and would again when he was finally dismissed with Surrey<\/a> eight down, heaving for one final six off Sonny Baker.<\/p>\n Lawrence was also awarded his county cap, not given away lightly here, from the director of cricket, Alec Stewart, at tea, with 2,150 runs for Surrey in the bank.<\/p>\n This one-off Championship match, sitting alone in the schedule because of fixture congestion, was always a bit of an anomaly. But Surrey\u2019s marketing team, with a keen eye for good publicity, invited day-four spectators at Lord\u2019s, whose cricket had been curtailed, to cross the Thames for only a fiver on production of their ticket \u2013 and 250 did, joining a crowd of 4,700.<\/p>\n Surrey were sporting a new\u2011look side, shorn of their England players and with a string of injuries including Ben Foakes, still out of action after bowling at the fag end of the draw against Essex in April. Bottom-of-the-table Hampshire were boosted by the return of Baker from Lord\u2019s.<\/p>\n The morning session had been steady, earnest even, with Hampshire winkling out Rory Burns and Will Jacks cheaply, and when Dom Sibley followed soon after lunch, the decision to bowl looked a good one. But then Lawrence and Ollie Pope (76) stepped on the accelerator, in a partnership of 255 in 37 overs.<\/p>\n To rub salt in the wound, Surrey were awarded five penalty runs when a cheesed-off Delano Potgieter, who had just been crunched for two fours by Lawrence, fielded off his own bowling and flung the ball back, throwing down the stumps.<\/p>\n Hampshire came back well with the new ball in the evening as Surrey lost six for 31, but the damage was done. Nick Gubbins and Toby Albert survived 5.2 overs before bad light stopped play, but the day belonged to Lawrence.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.44 EDT<\/p>\n Play abandoned for the day at The Oval<\/p>\n Stumps here, where Hampshire<\/a> 17-0 trail Surrey by 404 runs. The day belonged to Dan Lawrence, who bashed a barnstorming 218 on a green seamer. Thanks for all your messages, we\u2019ll be back tomorrow. Bye!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Hampshire 17-0 Bad light stops play<\/p>\n Toby Albert and Nick Gubbins survive the 5.2 overs Surrey<\/a> throw at them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.33 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! Topley c Lehman b Abbott 1 (Surrey 421 all out)<\/p>\n Snaffled at third slip and Surrey have rather shrivelled, losing six for 31. Still, it means they get to stalk Hampshire<\/a> tonight before the rain sweeps in.<\/p>\n I really better write up now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Lawrence c Organ b Baker 218 (Surrey 418-9)<\/p>\n Well bowled Sonny Baker! With nine men on the boundary, Lawrence resists temptation. Then Hampshire<\/a> bring the fielders in, Lawrence squeezes four and then tries to go over the top to the last ball of the over and is caught by a backpeddling Organ. The crowd rise and Hampshire\u2019s players, including Baker, chase Lawrence to pat him on the back as he walks away. An awesome innings, a privilege to watch it.<\/p>\n Surrey, meanwhile, have lost 5 for 28.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve looked up to find the new ball scything through Surrey<\/a> \u2013 two in an over for Abbott, Surrey 410-8, Lawrence still there on 214.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.16 EDT<\/p>\n Enter Tom Curran for his first Championship inning of the year and time for me to write up for the paper. Will pop back later, below the line remains open.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.37 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! Sam Curran c Orr b Organ 20 (Surrey 390-5)<\/p>\n Curran swivels and tries to flamb\u00e9 Organ for six legside but doesn\u2019t get enough welly on it and is caught by a sprinting, diving Orr.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.16 EDT<\/p>\n A couple of hundred miles north, another man overlooked by England, Liam Livingstone, has added to his 81 against Glamorgan with three for 13 in four overs including a wicket maiden.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>200 for Dan Lawrence!<\/p>\n At the site of his first first-class 100 in April 2015, when he was just a teenager, Lawrence rocks to his first 200 with an inside out drive over extra cover. The ground rises \u2013 a pure, utterly dominating innings \u2013 29 fours, five sixes off just 172 balls.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A fantastic stat from Richard Spiller on the back of Dan Lawrence\u2019s county cap \u2013 it is only 30 years ago that Surrey<\/a> got rid of a capped and uncapped dressing room, when David Gilbert came in as cricket manager and demanded the wall was knocked down between the two rooms.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Pope c Brown b Baker 74 (Surrey 353-4)<\/p>\n The tireless Baker leaps and punches the air, Pope swivels for the hook and tickles the ball through to Ben Brown. The end of a highly entertaining partnership of 255 with Lawrence, a new record for the fourth wicket for Surrey against Hampshire<\/a>.<\/p>\n And in between all that, a third batting point for Surrey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>A career best score for Dan Lawrence<\/p>\n Strides outside off stump, carelessly flicks Abbot for six over square leg. Now 182 not out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Evening session<\/p>\n And so it continues. Lawrence, off the front foot, clatters Abbott high over long off for six, drives four more through mid off where a sprawled Fuller nudges the ball over the rope. At 171 not out Lawrence now has his highest score of the season. A career best of 178 dangles tantalisingly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Andy Bull on that Lord\u2019s pitch:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.28 EDT<\/p>\n Dan Lawrence is given his Surrey county cap<\/p>\n You don\u2019t get one for turning up at The Oval. Dan Lawrence is presented with his county cap as he comes off the field for tea with a rollicking 150 under his arm and 2150 runs for Surrey<\/a> in the bank.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.23 EDT<\/p>\n Lawrence 150! Tea- Surrey 304-3<\/p>\n Tea: Surrey<\/a> 304-3 (Lawrence 150, Pope 68) Up races the 200 partnership between Lawrence and Pope in 190 balls, then the Surrey 300 and the Lawrence 150 in just 138 balls. He raises his bat to the dressing room, then round the ground. In this mood, he feels unstoppable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Women’s Blast update<\/p>\n Maia Bouchier\u2019s 87 spearheaded Hampshire\u2019s 155-4, Essex are 60-3 chasing, with eight and a bit overs left.<\/p>\n Glamorgan stumbled to 91 for eight after 20 overs, and Kent are motoring in reply, 33-0 off just six overs.<\/p>\n now<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n An afternoon sigh of delight from The Oval crowd as Pope off drives Potgieter for four more.<\/p>\n And now Lawrence picks Prest for consecutive fours as he races towards 150 and Surrey<\/a> towards 300. Tea approaches.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.08 EDT<\/p>\n Men’s Blast update after one innings<\/p>\n Four wickets for Hassan Ali and one for Moeen Ali restrict Leicestershire to 147 for eight against Yorkshire<\/p>\n Fifties for George Musney and Jack Haynes have put Notts in a decent spot against Derbyshire, 142-4 with four overs left.<\/p>\n Livi\u2019s 81 took Lancs to 200-7 against Glamorgan; Gloucestershire struggled to just 148-8 v Worcestershire; Somerset are 60-2 with 12 overs left against Warwickshire; three wickets for Sean Hunt and Tymal Mills restricted Kent to 133-8 against Sussex. Essex are 48-2 after eight overs against Middlesex<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Liam Livingstone\u2019s six-hitting extravaganza at Stanley Park is over, caught for 81 off 37 balls \u2013 three fours, eight sixes. Lancs 190-6 with five balls to go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Fifty for Ollie Pope!<\/p>\n A weary Abbot looks at his boots as Pope drives him , just legside of the stumps for his half century, off 66 balls. A shot that purred to the rope.<\/p>\n And bang \u2013 Lawrence lofts Organ straight back over his head into the pavilion for six.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>100 for Dan Lawrence!<\/p>\n A swotted sweep brings an standing ovation for Lawrence for a stunning century \u2013 99 balls, 18 fours, two sixes. He gets a hug and a pat from Ollie Pope and enthusiastic applause from the balcony for his fourth hundred of the summer \u2013 every time he has passed fifty, he has gone on to three figures. Cracking innings and cranking up the pace of the game in the face of a dreadful forecast for the next three day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A Hampshire<\/a> fielder forlornly chases a drive from Pope as it accelerates to the boundary. Pope (48) and Lawrence (95) racing for milestones.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Organ switches ends and is much more parsimonious this time around, leaking just four runs. the Lawrence-Pope hundred partnership comes up in just 92 balls. And now Lawrence cracks Fuller straight down the ground for four, perfectly perpendicular. He grins a happy grin as he chats to Pope.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Cricket pitch preparation is becoming more and more hindered by the rapidly changing climate, as acknowledged by the MCC here, \u201cThe unusually hot and dry weather during May, followed by wetter conditions in the lead-up to the match, presented a number of challenges in preparing the pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n and Surrey\u2019s Lee Fortis, speaking to Richard Spiller in April. \u201cWe\u2019ve been praying for a bit of rain. The easterly wind and dry days don\u2019t make it especially easy and you can see the way the climate is changing. The westerly winds which bring the April showers seem to be replaced more and more now by these easterlies which we should be getting in Feburary and March.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>MCC statement “we are natuarally frustrated when a surface falls short of expectations”<\/p>\n MCC Chief Executive and Secretary, Rob Lawson, said: \u201cWe recognise that the pitch for this Test has shown more variable bounce than we would have wanted. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are naturally frustrated when a surface falls short of those expectations.<\/p>\n \u201cMCC invests significantly each year in the preparation of the main square at Lord\u2019s, as well as in research, technology and expertise aimed at producing pitches that provide a fair and consistent contest between bat and ball. The unusually hot and dry weather during May, followed by wetter conditions in the lead-up to the match, presented a number of challenges in preparing the pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, we fully recognise the need to act quickly. We will remain fully focused on applying all aspects of pitch development and improvement as outlined in our recently published MCC Cricket<\/a> Strategy 2026-29.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n No respite for Hampshire, as Lawrence now cuts Fuller for four.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Felix Organ is whipped out of the attack by Ben Brown after one expensive over, and James Fuller is called back into action. Surrey<\/a> 187-3.<\/p>\n