| LV= County Championship Division One, County Ground, Northampton (day three): |
| Northamptonshire 339 & 209-5: Proctor 55; Steel 2-58 |
| Surrey 421 Amla 133, Curran 115; Keogh 4-51 |
| Northants (4 pts) lead Surrey (8 pts) by 127 runs |
| Scorecard |
Tom Curran struck a maiden first-class century on the scene of some of his father’s greatest moments as Surrey marched towards victory over Northamptonshire – and a huge boost to their County Championship title charge.
All-rounder Curran, in his first Championship appearance for three and a half years, made 115 in 93 balls – two runs shy of dad Kevin’s best at Wantage Road.
His innings was juxtaposed by the serene century completed by Hashim Amla as Surrey claimed an 82-run first-innings lead, having been bowled out for 421.
Luke Procter and Ricardo Vasconcelos both scored half-centuries as Northamptonshire fought back to end the day on 209-5, a lead of 127.
Amla raised his bat on his 57th first-class century off the second ball of the day but it was a sideshow to what was brewing at the other end.
Jordan Clark spliced a pull to mid-wicket to end a 49-run stand with Amla to bring Curran to the crease for his first red-ball innings since April 2019.
Injuries – a side problem and a stress fracture in his back – England selection, Covid bubbles and the IPL had seen his personal schedule not be compatible with the County Championship – he has played 84 T20s and 17 List A matches in that time.
Curran’s father Kevin played 337 games for the county between 1991 and 1999, while brothers Sam and Ben were born in the town.
Curran was brutal in his striking against the old ball – sweetly striking Rob Keogh straight into the Spencer Pavilion, before repeating the six-hitting off Saif Zaib.
His aggression didn’t relent when the new ball arrived, with his fifty coming in 47 balls before rushing past his previous high of 60 and to three figures for the first time in a further 38 deliveries.
It was an innings offering little chance to a tiring bowling attack and was celebrated with both arms aloft having hit the 12th of his 15 fours powerfully back past bowler Keogh. He had been beaten to a maiden first-class hundred by his younger brother Sam by 80 days.
Wickets did fall in a higgledy-piggledy morning session, with Amla eventually dismissed for 133 when he was leg before to Keogh – a wicket which ended a 144-run stand in which Curran had made 103 of them.
Gus Atkinson fell second ball when he stabbed onto his pad only for the ball to roll back into his stumps.
Curran returned from lunch with three fours before he was brilliantly caught at mid-off and Dan Worrall was bowled through the gate to give Keogh 4-51 and see Surrey all out for 421, a lead of 82.
Northamptonshire did not do Surrey’s title rivals Hampshire many favours in the early stages of their second innings.
Will Young was caught at third slip by a juggling Curran, Emilio Gay lived a charmed life with two missed chances in the slips before he was lbw to Clark before Josh Cobb overbalanced when flicking to the leg side to offer up a simple short midwicket catch.
Keogh helped his side back into the lead before a slog sweep top-edged to deep midwicket to see Northamptonshire in trouble at 114-4.
Luke Procter passed fifty for the seventh time this season in an unfussy manner to take his Championship tally to 931 runs before he was pinned by Gus Atkinson for 55. Vasconcelos was timely in his unbeaten 96-ball fifty to ensure Surrey still have work to do.
Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler:
“It was a great day of cricket but we are slightly behind the game so we need to dig deep and fight. All results are still possible for sure.
“We set the pace on day one but kind of let Surrey back in and they have fought well. Tom Curran took the game away in that instance and Hashim Amla is world-class, one of the best to ever play this game and he showed that.
“He ground us down and didn’t get out of second gear. He played the same on 130 as he did when he first went in. He took the sting out of us to set the platform for Tom to play the way he did.”
Surrey all-rounder Tom Curran:
“It is very special to get the first one. I haven’t played a lot of Championship cricket in the last few years but I wanted to come in and bat positively.
“There isn’t much in there for the bowlers so I knew if I came out and put some pressure on them it would make it tough. Hash hung in and was seeing it like a beach ball and I just tried to stick with him.
“It is no secret that this place means a lot to me. It is definitely special to get my first century here. “
Report supplied by the ECB Reporters’ Network.
