Alec Stewart: Surrey performed poorly in dismal display against Glamorgan in One-Day Cup

Alec Stewart made no attempt to sugar-coat Surrey’s dismal performance against Glamorgan in the One-Day Cup last Sunday.

The depleted Oval outfit have started the 50-over competition with a trio of losses, but the manner of the defeat to the Welshmen – who won with 204 balls to spare after dismissing their hosts for 121 – left the South Londoners’ director of cricket describing it as “a poor performance from start to finish”.

Surrey sank to 11-3 on a well-grassed Oval pitch before spinner Ben Kellaway become the first man in 44 years to claim wickets with right and left-arm bowling in an official county game.

Rory Burns and Ben Foakes rallied with a partnership of 53 for the fourth wicket, but all hope Surrey had of posting a competitive total was shattered when Foakes (44) – who pulled a six in addition to hitting seven fours – was smartly caught at slip off Andy Gorvin’s medium pace.

A few days earlier, Yorkshire overcame three delays for rain to post an impressive 240-6 in 33 overs, which proved too much for their hosts, who ended up 25 runs short in reply.

With 10 overs to go, the South Londoners needed 121, but, again, the departure of Foakes (40), caught in the deep, proved pivotal. However, that did not stop Josh Blake (26) and Conor McKerr (25) plundering what they could in a losing cause.

On Tuesday, a defiant 87 from 96 balls by Patel, and 50 off 45 from Blake, could not prevent Gloucestershire recording their first win in this season’s Metro Bank, as Surrey could only get to 264 in response to the Bristolians’ 301 all out.

McKerr impressed for the hosts with career best List A figures of 4-32, while Cameron Steel finished with 4-61, but Gloucestershire’s attack was more consistent with pacemen Matt Taylor (4-44) and Ajeet Singh Dale outstanding.

McKerr, who also hit 37, said: “I was very happy with how I bowled. After our last match, against Glamorgan, we were told we needed an improved performance, so it is good to feel I did that from a personal standpoint.”

MAIN PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD