LANCASHIRE’S search for a win in the County Championship continues, as Surrey held out for a draw on the final day of their division one game.
Lancashire started the fourth day needing one wicket to bring Surrey’s first innings to a close.
Surrey managed to add just four runs to the overnight total before veteran seam bowler Graham Onions dismissed Amar Virdi to bring the innings to a close.
Still trailing by 204 runs Surrey were forced to follow on by Lancashire who were keen to make up for lost time having missed out on an entire first days play.
Surrey’s opening duo of Rory Burns and Mark Stoneman managed to see out the remainder of the first session scoring at less than two runs an over with the aim of holding out for a draw.
The lunch break worked in Lancashire’s favour though as Stoneman was caught behind off the bowling of Tom Bailey without his side adding to the pre-interval total.
Stoneman’s replacement Scott Borthwick’s stay at the crease was short lived as he too fell victim to Tom Bailey, as he left a ball that swung inwards clattering into his off stump sending him back to the pavilion without scoring.
Despite the conservative batting approach there was still plenty of entertaining cricket on show, the most notable moment saw Surrey captain Rory Burns left panic stricken wielding just the handle of his bat, after it snapped in two, as he attempted to drive the ball down the ground off the bowling of Joe Mennie.
Burns and his batting partner Dean Elgar continued to grind out the second session until Liam Livingstone managed to tempt Burns forward to a delivery that popped up to Keaton Jennings who caught the Surrey captain dismissing him for 33 runs.
The final wicket of the session came as Elgar was forced onto the back foot edging the ball behind to his fellow countryman Dane Vilas, off the bowling of Jordan Clark.
The partnership of Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope proved troublesome as they saw Surrey through to the tea break on 119-4 with Lancashire left with 35 overs in the final session to find the remaining wickets.
Both men managed to see their side through to the final hour of the day with Foakes in particular standing out managing to pick off the bad deliveries and convert them into boundaries.
[pullquote]The most notable moment saw Surrey captain Rory Burns left panic stricken wielding just the handle of his bat, after it snapped in two.[/pullquote]
Tom Bailey managed to provide a glimmer of hope for Lancashire as they continued to push for a victory, as he grabbed two wickets in the final hour first dismissing Foakes on 57 who edged the ball down the leg side to Vilas, then removing Pope two overs later who caught a thick edge that found its way to Livingstone in the slip cordon.
The duo of Sam Curran and Ryan Patel saw off the remaining seven overs though seeing their side through to the close of play on 199-6 with Tom Bailey failing to secure his five wicket haul in the final over.
Lancashire managed to secure 12 points but they remain winless in the 2018 Championship season, they will look to change that in their next game which sees them face second place Somerset at Old Trafford on Friday.
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