Surrey CCC on course to reach Vitality Blast quarter-finals after win over Glamorgan

Surrey have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast with three group matches left to play following their 81-run victory over Glamorgan on Tuesday night.

Will Jacks laid the foundations for the South Londoners’ highest T20 total at the Oval (238-5). Sam Curran added icing to the cake by hitting an 18-ball half-century before skipper Chris Jordan applied the coup de grâce, taking four wickets as the Welshmen could only muster 157-8 in reply.

“We’re very happy to bounce back from the defeat to Hampshire, and in some style too,” said Jacks, pictured.

“I got nought on Sunday, so anything was going to be better than that and I was pleased with my 69.

“We like to chase, so it was good practice for us to bat first and, overall, it was a good batting performance from us.

“Glamorgan had a big total to chase. We wanted to try and defend 160-170 and we did that.”

But just two days earlier, Surrey’s assault on the T20 suffered a blip when they lost heavily to Hampshire, just after beating South Group leaders Somerset on their home patch.

“In Twenty20 cricket you’re not going to go through the whole competition and win every game,” said head coach Gareth Batty.

“It’s how you react to failure, basically.

“Gianluca Vialli said it the best – you never actually lose, you either learn or you win, and that’s our mantra.

“We set our stall out to win every game of cricket that we play. That’s probably unrealistic, but that’s our aim and against Hampshire we weren’t good enough.

“They started fast and we didn’t, and we never really got a foothold back into it.

“Jamie Overton and Tom Curran’s cameo of a stand gave us just a little bit of hope, but it wasn’t to be.

“But I expected us to bounce back and we’re in an excellent position in the South Group table.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD