Surrey and Northants reach stalemate at The Oval

Surrey 322 and 342 for 6 dec. (de Bruyn 91*, Daggett 3-69) drew with Northamptonshire 376 and 211 for 5 (Loye 52, Meaker 3-46)
Scorecard

Surrey's County Championship Division Two opener finished in a draw when bad light forced an end to Northamptonshire's unlikely run chase seven overs from the scheduled close at an overcast Kia Oval. The visitors, having been set two sessions to score 289 in a minimum 66 overs at an asking rate of 4.27 an over, had reached 211 for 5 but were still 77 runs short when the captains shook hands.

Having lost opener Stephen Peters with only 18 on the board, the visitors briefly threatened their goal when Mal Loye and Rob White joined forces in an attractive second-wicket stand worth 77. Former England wrist-spinner Chris Schofield then removed White leg before after he missed an attempted sweep before Loye fell in the same fashion for a 101-ball 50.

Once David Sales (12) and Alex Wakeley (43) fell in the space of two overs - both had their stumps rearranged by full and quick deliveries from Stuart Meaker - the visitors appeared happy to settle for a draw which they achieved once Andrew Hall and Niall O'Brien saw them through to the end of play.

Surrey started the day on of 182 for 4 - a tentative lead of 128 runs. They soon lost nightwatchman Tim Linley, who was bamboozled and palpably leg-before to the leg-spin of Rob White in the seventh over of the day.

Zander De Bruyn, making his debut since the move to SE11 from Somerset, posted a maiden half-century for his new club from 137 balls, including six fours, at which point the hosts led by 176 runs. De Bruyn and fellow Surrey debutant Tom Maynard joined forces in a healthy sixth-wicket stand to add 69 in 15 overs before Maynard went for 40 after having middle stump plucked out by a Lee Daggett off-cutter that kept low.

Though Northamptonshire took the new ball after 88 overs it only served to allow Surrey to accelerate the run-rate, firstly through Schofield and then, as the lunch break and three figures loomed, De Bruyn.

Schofield was harsh on Andrew Hall, dispatching the former South Africa Test allrounder for two fours and, in his following over, a brace of sixes as the hosts plundered 34 from the last two overs before the break.

Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown declared during the interval however, leaving de Bruyn 10 short of a century after 257 minutes at the crease. He scored eight fours and two sixes, while Schofield's cameo of 37 came off only 23 deliveries.