Surrey skipper Rory Burns: County Championship title run-in all about staying concentrated

BY MARCUS HOOK

Surrey skipper Rory Burns says his side simply need to concentrate on performing to their maximum after the South Londoners took another step closer to clinching a second successive County Championship title by delivering a crushing win over Warwickshire at The Oval this week.

Surrey’s credentials were writ large over this week’s victory by an innings and 97 runs against one of the stronger sides in the division, which was all done and dusted 15 minutes into day three on Wednesday.

In the process of posting 396 and then skittling Warwickshire out for 161 and 138, Surrey extended their advantage over second-placed Essex at the head of affairs to 18 points.

“Essex are a very good side and we expected them to do well in their game against Middlesex,” said Burns.

“It could be a tight race to the finish between them and us, but we simply have to concentrate on what we do.

“That was a great performance, pretty much from start to finish. In particular, I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a day like day two when the wickets just kept on coming for us.

“We were expecting the pitch to get even better for batting as the game went on over the four days, after losing the toss and having to bat first. I certainly didn’t expect what happened, but it’s pretty easy for me as captain when I’ve got a bowling attack as good as ours.”

Dan Worrall led the way with the ball, taking 3-34 and 5-25, abetted by Surrey’s returning overseas fast bowler Kemar Roach, the West Indian chipping in with 4-64 in Warwickshire’s first dig, and Jordan Clark, who took 4-26 in the second.

“It was good to have Kemar back and Dan was exceptional,” said Burns. “He’s a real leader out there and is a brilliant bowler with lots of skills.

“Jordan also put in a really good performance and there is a lot of excitement in this group about what’s to come in the next few weeks.

“It’s been great to get back as a squad. In the past month or so we’ve been here, there and everywhere as players.

“Some of us have played in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, but we’ve had a lot of players away elsewhere, so we were buzzing.

“We love playing four-day cricket for Surrey and the desire is certainly still there in our dressing room.”

Jordan Clark and Dan Worrall will be raising funds for the Professional Cricketers’ Trust next month, by undertaking a charity bike ride from the Kia Oval to Paris.

The pair will cycle about 250 miles over three days, starting on Tuesday October 10, coinciding with World Mental Health Day.

In the women’s game, South East Stars’ chances of reaching the knockout phase of the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy suffered a blow on Tuesday at the hands of Thunder, who romped home at Beckenham with six wickets and 24 overs to spare after bowling Stars out for 145.

PICTURES: GETTY IMAGES AND KEITH GILLARD