Laurie Evans’ inning arrests Surrey’s slide against Hampshire at Arundel

BY MARCUS HOOK

Rain restricted the first two days of Surrey’s ongoing Bob Willis Trophy clash with Hampshire at Arundel to just 40 overs.

Surrey will start day three on a forlorn-looking 130-8, which represents something of a recovery given they were 36-5 at one stage. Laurie Evans – on loan from Sussex – then hit 65 to arrest the slide.

Evans said: “Hampshire deserve credit. They bowled well and put the ball in the right areas; and there is a bit of lateral movement off the wicket and a bit of low bounce.

“Coming in when you are so many wickets down, the pressure is off you, and being an aggressive player, I wanted to put the bad balls away. They were searching for wickets and I was lucky enough to put them away.

“It feels like 220-250 would be a good score. With our bowling attack, you never know.”

But there is some good news for the Oval outfit – fast bowler Morne Morkel arrived back in the UK last week after travel restrictions had prevented him from joining up with the South Londoners and Jason Roy is available for selection following England’s ODI series with Ireland.

This season’s Vitality T20 Blast fixtures have now been confirmed. All of the group matches will be played behind closed doors. But as the government has set October 1 as the target date for a limited number of spectators to return to live sporting events, Finals Day has been moved from its original date in September to Saturday, October 3.

The Vitality Blast will get underway on Thursday, August 27 with defending champions Essex at home to Middlesex. Surrey’s opener will be the following day, against Sussex at Hove.

This summer’s Blast has been regionalised into the same three groups used in the Bob Willis Trophy, with each county set to play 10 group-stage matches All four quarter-finals will be contested on Thursday October 1.

Surrey’s South Group fixtures are as follows:
Sussex v Surrey at Hove, Friday 28th August, 2pm.
Surrey v Essex at the Kia Oval, Sunday 30th August, 2pm.
Kent v Surrey at Canterbury, Tuesday 1st September, 2pm.
Surrey v Hampshire at the Kia Oval, Thursday 3rd September, 6.30pm
Surrey v Middlesex at the Kia Oval, Saturday 5th September, 6.35pm
Essex v Surrey at Chelmsford, Friday 11th September, 2pm
Middlesex v Surrey at Lord’s, Monday 14th September, 6.15pm
Surrey v Sussex at the Kia Oval, Wednesday 16th September, 6.30pm
Hampshire v Surrey at the Ageas Bowl, Friday 18th September, 2pm.
Surrey v Kent at the Kia Oval, Sunday 20th September, 1pm.