BRIT OVAL (third day of four): Surrey (22pts) beat Glamorgan (5) by 218 runs
SURREY gained promotion to the first division by taking the final Glamorgan wicket with the last ball of the extra half-hour that they had claimed. Glamorgan’s batting, David Hemp apart, proved no more effectual than their bowling to Mark Butcher, whose second century of the match emulated the feat of his father, Alan, against the same opposition in 1984.
This was the Surrey captain’s third century of the season against Glamorgan. Neil Saker, the nightwatchman, stayed in for 97 minutes in making 13 before he was run out. Alistair Brown came in and thumped a century off 86 balls, his second 50 runs taking only 26 balls. He and Butcher put on 135 in 22 overs.
Alan Butcher, forceful batsman though he was, would in all probability not have timed his off-side shots as sweetly as his son does. What with Brown bludgeoning straight sixes off Robert Croft, Surrey declared an hour after lunch, leaving Glamorgan 474 to win. An unnecessarily large lead, perhaps, but such is the way of the modern captain. He took no heed of a dire weather forecast for today.
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Only Hemp and to some extent Michael Powell mastered Surrey’s attack. There was little turn and yet Chris Schofield, a leg spinner whose career was supposedly over, took three wickets for two runs in 15 balls. He is seeking a contract for next year and may gain one.
Surrey’s catching around the bat was sharp. Mark Ramprakash held on to a square drive that Ryan Watkins middled and the spinners were well supported. Had Saker taken a straightforward catch at square leg when Hemp was on 30, they would have had no need of the extra half-hour. He had made 155 including 22 fours and four sixes when he was out in what proved to be the final over. Huw Waters became the tenth batsman in the innings to be caught four balls later.