Roy’s slow walk off sums up Surrey’s lament

Surrey 134 for 6 trail Middlesex 395 (Gubbins 91, Malan 58, Robson 53, Curran 4-113) by 261 runsScorecard

There was a moment in the evening session, when the working men and women made use of free entry after tea, as the sun seemed to prop itself on top of the OCS stand, that summed up where the honours lay at the Oval.

Jason Roy, home favourite, T20 stud, was in the middle of a stern examination from Toby Roland-Jones – a bowler built to hit a deck hard enough to strike oil. This is a Surrey side with a young core against a Middlesex side that have been playing Division One cricket since 2012. Here was south London’s jewel against north London’s piston.

Roy, in the middle of playing out a maiden, defended the ball back to Roland-Jones, whose follow through always takes him to within chirping distance of the batsman. Roland-Jones said a few words. Roy kept schtum.

The Roy of old might have said a few words back. Middlesex were on top, Surrey were 72 for 4 after they had been thrashed before lunch for the icing on the visitors total of 395. This was a time for resistance rather than words, and Roy knew it.

The Roy of old might have also looked over to the short boundary towards the Archbishop Tenison’s School and seen sixes beyond his wildest dreams. During mid-pitch discussions with Ben Foakes, with whom he gritted out a 60-run fifth-wicket stand from 144 balls, he might have even wondered if could spit further than the boundary’s edge. This was a time for patience rather than power. And Roy knew it.

He remained diligent, played patiently and, having taken a few blows, decided to help Surrey fight their way out of the corner. …

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