MATCH REPORT: Bailey claims three wickets on opening day
Lancashire and Surrey produced a fascinating battle on the opening day of this LV= County Championship match, with three half-centuries by the visitors’ batters in a first innings of 340-7 countering a good effort from the Red Rose attack for whom Tom Bailey took three wickets and Will Williams two.
And the picture of this opening day could have looked quite different but for a quite marvellous catch by Colin de Grandhomme in the 74th over.
Ben Foakes and Cam Steel were building an excellent sixth-wicket partnership of 75 that looked to be pushing Surrey towards a very handy first innings total. Foakes had moved serenely along through the afternoon in making an assured 76 and when the England wicketkeeper/batsman pulled Luke Wood hard towards square leg it looked likely he would be adding to his tally of seven boundaries.
De Grandhomme ended those hopes with a reflex, one-handed, diving catch to his left at square leg to claim an outstanding catch.
And when Bailey next trapped Jordan Clark lbw for 14, Lancashire had put themselves back in the ascendancy at 278-7.
But Steel found good support from Sean Abbott – whose 34 not out including a last over top-edged six over deep square leg – to even things up by the close with a positive, sometimes attacking, innings to reach the close unbeaten on 86, the pair having added 62 for the eighth wicket with the opportunity to add to that tomorrow.
The morning session went firmly Lancashire’s way with four Surrey wickets falling after Keaton Jennings had won his first toss as captain and put the visitors in to bat.
The new skipper watched from second slip as his bowlers found enough early movement to trouble all the Surrey top order.
There was an early debate whether Rory Burns had or hadn’t nicked Williams’ first delivery through the slips for four (it was given as leg byes) and then another when the Surrey captain was adjudged to have nicked Williams to wicketkeeper George Bell to depart for 1 two overs later.
Bailey trapped Ollie Pope lbw for 13 and Williams followed suit to send back Ryan Patel for 3 with both batters guilty of trying to work the ball to the leg side, and Williams having the fine figures of 2-16 from his nine over spell.
And Lancashire were jubilant when de Grandhomme claimed his maiden Lancashire wicket shortly before lunch. Dom Sibley, returning to Surrey from Warwickshire, had played some lovely shots during his first innings back in making 35, before he edged an excellent delivery from de Grandhomme that left the batsman after he had playing at it off the front foot.
That left Surrey on 77-4 but Foakes and Jamie Smith prevented any further damage before lunch before going on to produce an excellent partnership well into the afternoon.
The pair had added 87 for the fifth wicket with Smith reaching a chanceless half century until, on 54, he feathered a leg side delivery from Bailey to wicketkeeper Bell.
That was a welcome breakthrough for the Red Rose bowlers who had generally kept to a good line and length as conditions in the middle eased during the session.
Foakes and Cam Steel then steered Surrey to 196-5 at tea and the pair were building another good partnership of 75 when de Grandhomme produced his magic moment at square leg.
Hopefully more outstanding moments await tomorrow.
“It was a tough first day,” admitted Tom Bailey who took 3 for 67 from his 20 overs.
“The pitch was a lot better than we thought it was going to be. It was so cold and so windy out, and it made conditions tough.
“I thought the boys worked hard to try and get wickets and hopefully we can those last three (wickets) early tomorrow morning,” he added.
This is the earliest date that Lancashire have ever played a first-class fixture at Emirates Old Trafford and Bailey said: “That’s probably the flattest wicket I’ve played on here on the first day of the season considering how wet it has been, so it’s understandable that we bowled first.
“I thought we started well. There was a bit of moisture in that pitch at the start. But it seemed to just completely change after lunch. The ball had got a bit softer, and the pitch had got harder.”
The afternoon saw the Red Rose attack plug away looking for a breakthrough, and Bailey said: “I think it’s something we are good at as a team. You just bowl stump to stump, just be boring, and let them make a mistake.
“There wasn’t enough pace to try and bowl in the channels and get edges. We had one slip for most of the day.
“The best time to bat here is normally day two a bit of day three, so if we get those wickets early hopefully the batsmen can cash in.”
Ken Grime
Photos: Barry Mitchell & Luke Adams
