Ryan Patel pleased with his own game as Surrey CCC continue to set pace in County Championship

Ryan Patel continued his fine start to the season with a match-winning hundred as Surrey confirmed their position as the County Championship’s early pace-setters by beating Somerset by three wickets at the Kia Oval.

Patel followed up half-centuries against Warwickshire and Hampshire with a fluid 102 as the hosts reeled in a victory target of 237. Only Patel looked in any touch until he was joined in the middle by Ben Foakes, who eventually guided Surrey home with an unbeaten 48.

Even though the result leaves Somerset rooted to the bottom of Division One, Surrey also had to dig deep with the ball to fashion a come-from-behind victory.

The visitors made 337 after winning the toss, thanks to a career best 150 not out from skipper Tom Abell. Surrey responded with 308 and must have been concerned when Somerset coasted to 132-2 in their second dig.

But then Patel struck with the ball to remove Abell for 53, sparking a collapse that was engineered by Reece Topley, who enjoyed a spell of three wickets in the space of seven deliveries.

Patel has not looked back since hitting 131 against Notts in the Royal London Cup last July, scoring 773 runs at an average of 51.53 in all competitions for Surrey.

“We are very happy with that win, especially as we were behind the game a little after first innings,” said Patel. “It was nice to finally get to a hundred after good starts in the first two games and, in a match-winning cause, it’s a much better feeling.

“I am very happy with where my game is at right now. I’ve just got a lot more confidence in my ability after a winter of hard work and also a lot of work last summer. I’ve had a good winter at home, working with Gareth Batty. Building on a good pre-season, where I felt I was moving well and playing well, it’s nice to have had some decent results with the bat.

“I’ve been backing myself a bit more. Having a bit of confidence is paying dividends.”

The 24-year-old also paid tribute to Surrey’s bowling group, who had to overcome going a bowler down with injury for the second match running – Kemar Roach against Hampshire and James Taylor against Somerset – to dismiss their opponents twice in successive outings.

“I couldn’t fault the efforts of our bowlers, especially after tea,” said Patel afterwards. “Those seven wickets after tea changed the game and it was lovely to knock off the runs.

“As against Hampshire, last week, our bowlers were unbelievable. James Taylor couldn’t bowl in the second innings, but everyone else stood up.

“Their commitment and effort – you couldn’t ask for any more.

“Of course it was nice to take a wicket myself, when I was asked to bowl, and it was a great feeling to back it up with a hundred.”

Even though the Oval outfit’s next opponents Gloucestershire have not started the season as they would have hoped, Patel insists Surrey will be taking nothing for granted when they travel to Bristol.

“We said before the first game against Warwickshire that we wanted to get off to a good start to the season, because in previous years we haven’t quite got going,” said Patel. “So, it’s all positive.

“We’ve just had a chat there and obviously this is a good win, but we’ve got to go again, not take anything for granted and keep pushing. It was a great win and hopefully we can carry it forward.”

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GLOUCS v SURREY probable line-ups

Surrey:
Burns (capt), Patel, Amla, Pope, Foakes (wk), Jacks, de Grandomme, S.Curran, Clark, J.Overton, Topley.

Gloucestershire:
Harris, Dent, Bracey (wk), Higgins, Lace, van Buuren (capt), Gohar, Shaw, M Taylor, Dale, Amir.

KEY PLAYERS

Ben Foakes (Surrey) – proof that he is more than just a world-class wicketkeeper, Foakes is averaging 144 with the bat three outings in. What’s more, his career average against Gloucestershire reads 619 runs at 103.16, including four of his 12 first-class centuries.

Ryan Higgins (Glos) – the former Middlesex all-rounder has started the season averaging 49.60 with the bat and 34.50 with the ball, helping to carry an attack that has struggled for wickets. Ajeet Dale tops the Glosters bowling averages with eight scalps at 33.87 runs apiece.

FORM GUIDE
Surrey remain top of Division One following back-to-back victories at home to Hampshire and Somerset. Gloucestershire have endured a rocky start to the campaign, losing to Yorkshire and Lancashire after drawing with Northants.

STAT
Both of Ryan Patel’s championship hundreds have come at the Oval when Australia’s Peter Siddle has been a member of the opposition attack. His first was at the start of 2019, when Siddle was playing for Essex. While Siddle, now with Somerset, may be sick of the sight of Patel, his record across the two contests is a handy 14 wickets at 18.35.

STAR MAN
Ryan Patel’s 102 on the final day, which left the South Londoners needing just 64 more for victory. Plain sailing? Not quite. Somerset fought to the last, causing a bit of a wobble as the Oval outfit lost Curran, Jacks and Clark in the space of six overs before getting over the line by three wickets.

BEST MOMENT
Reece Topley’s spell of three wickets in seven balls on the third evening – although the third resulted in a nasty-looking head injury to Ben Foakes who, in taking the catch, collided with the man at slip Jamie Overton, sustaining a cut to his right ear.

NEXT FIXTURES
April 28-May 1: Gloucestershire v Surrey at Bristol (County Championship)
May 5-8: Surrey v Northants at the Kia Oval (County Championship)