Rain Forces Surrey 2nd XI Draw While City Win Again Away, in Derby Match

Published on: 3 May, 2021
Updated on: 3 May, 2021

Yorkshire’s 2nd XI scoring steadily in the first innings Photo Lucy Hooper

By Julian Cooper

On Monday (April 26), the County Second XI championship match got underway at Guildford Cricket Club’s ground between Surrey and Yorkshire. Surrey won the toss and chose to have a bowl.

The conditions were dry but unseasonably cold; coat and gloves were required, not attire you’d associate with our summer game. The leafless beech trees aligning the edge of the ground a reminder that spring has delayed itself considerably this year.

Yorkshire posted a good score in their first innings, scoring 344 all out from 120 overs. The middle-order batsmen Mathew Fisher and Harry Duke providing most of the runs. Both players were finally removed from the crease by Surrey’s best performing bowler in the match James Taylor, who had figures of 61-4 in 20 overs.

Surrey’s James Taylor bowling at Yorkshire’s Mathew Fisher Photo Lucy Hooper

By the end of the second day, Surrey had replied with 218. On the third day, the heavens opened preventing any play, so Surrey ended up declaring their first innings 218 for 8.

With one day remaining and both sides having to bat another innings a draw was inevitable. Yorkshire declared their 2nd innings on 188 for 5 after 54 overs giving the last 30 overs of the match for Surrey to bat. The 315 run target was academic Surrey’s 2nds managing just 121 for 3.

At the same ground on Sunday, Guildford Cricket Club had two T20 matches arranged for both the women’s and men’s teams. They were playing the respective University of Surrey sides in two friendlies. We shall look at their teams a little closer as the summer progresses.

The university men’s 1st XI normally competes in the British Universities and Colleges Sports League (BUCS), Southern Premiership, playing home matches at Shalford Cricket Club. The matches were ongoing at the time of writing.

The World Snooker Championship

World Snooker Championships

Every effort is being made to get fans back watching sport safely. I can testify to this having made a well time journey north on Wednesday to Sheffield and the World Snooker Championships escaping the rain.

My initial feelings are that the event will be seen as a great success. The organisers’ idea of scaling up capacity as the tournament progressed was, in theory, great, but the reality was that most sessions were undersold perhaps due to the strict Covid testing regime.

Football – The Fripp Smith Trophy

On Saturday Guildford City were away to Godalming Town at “The Weyside” It took 36 minutes for City to break the deadlock in what was a bad-tempered first half. Ryan Ferrari had his free kick was blocked and from the resulting loose ball Mike Coppinger shot low into the corner from outside the penalty box.

Three minutes after the restart Coppinger and Fred Hill combined to find Prince Mbengui on the edge of the box. A ricochet fell kindly and his low shot from 20 yards found the corner of the net extending Guildford’s lead.

Isy Nzelo reeling away to celebrate scoring City’s third goal Photo Paul Burgman

On 57 minutes City were three ahead. An excellent Ryan Ferrari free-kick from the left was met by Isy Nzelo at the back post who netted from close range. Having scored his first goal in 71 appearances last week the famous “like buses” analogy came to mind.

On 82 minutes Fred Hill hit the woodwork after good lead up play by Max Oldham and the impressive Josh Everard. Then, as the game entered stoppage time Athan Smith-Joseph slid an inch-perfect ball across the box which was tucked away by Max Oldham for City’s fourth.

It was an impressive performance by Guildford who now only require a point at Sheerwater on Monday to progress to the knockout stages.