Patel undermines Surrey as coin spin favours them again

Surrey 252 (Burns 50, Patel 4-58) vs Warwickshire
Scorecard

Warwickshire spinner Jeetan Patel was again a thorn in Surrey's side as they were bowled out for 252 on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Patel, who took ten wickets during Warwickshire's emphatic victory at Guildford in early July, added another four on his home ground to take his championship tally this season to 45.

Having chosen to bat, Surrey saw several players get in but none play a major innings. Rory Burns, who struck the only half-century, Kumar Sangakkara, Steven Davies and Dominic Sibley put down roots but were then prised out by an attack which, led by Patel (4 for 58) and Rikki Clarke (3 for 46), maintained pressure all day.

After the formality of the toss (Surrey have won 32 of the last 35, Warwickshire just one in the championship all season) openers Burns and Sibley added 62 in 27.3 overs before the latter bat-padded Patel to short leg. Burns ground on to a half-century before Patel switched to the Pavilion End and won an lbw decision.

Sangakkara and Zafar Ansari took their side to a promising 146 for 2 just before tea but then perished to indiscrete shots to successive balls. Ansari edged an attempted drive at Olly Hannon-Dalby to third slip and Sangakkara tried to force Patel and sliced to slip.

Jason Roy was reprieved by a dropped catch at long leg on five and a missed stumping on 11, but failed to exploit his good fortune, edging Clarke to the wicketkeeper. His was the first of three wickets in a fiery evening spell by the former Surrey player. After Davies leading-edged Patel to extra cover, Clarke struck quickfire blows by forcing the Curran brothers to send catches behind the stumps.

Stuart Meaker top-edged a pull at Chris Wright and was well-caught by Varun Chopra running back from slip. Captain Gareth Batty counter-attacked effectively for 27 to lift his side to a second batting point before bring pinned lbw by Keith Barker.

Warwickshire were then spared an awkward three overs batting before the close by bad light.

Surrey are without Ben Foakes (quad strain), rested as a precaution ahead of next Thursday's Royal London Cup quarter-final at Northampton, while Warwickshire make two changes in the top order. Opener Ian Westwood has replaced the out-of-form Andy Umeed while Laurie Evans, recalled from a loan spell at Northamptonshire, has come in for Sam Hain (sore shoulder).