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Footitt, Sam Curran star as Surrey surge goes on
- Updated: August 25, 2016
Lancashire 287 (Clark 56, Sam Curran 4-61, Meaker 3-83) and 203-8 (Procter 76, Petersen 56, Footitt 5-49) lead Surrey 480 (Sam Curran 96, Burns 88, Sangakkara 67, Davies 59, Sibley 56, Lilley 5-130) by 10 runs Scorecard
When Surrey last met Lancashire in the County Championship, the UK had not voted to leave the European Union and Pokemon Go had yet to be unleashed on British shores. But for these two teams at The Oval, the most significant change in the intervening three months has been on the pitch. Surrey have surged after a dreadful start to the County Championship season, and Lancashire’s run of three wins in their opening five games, including an evisceration of Surrey, has given way to a winless run of eight matches.
Here Lancashire were gazumped by two left-armers who were absent in May. Back then, Mark Footitt was injured and Sam Curran had his pesky A-levels to overcome.
Footitt was Surrey’s marquee winter signing, lured from Derbyshire for his left-arm brawn in return for Division One cricket and a four-year contract reportedly worth £150,000 a year, sizeable indeed for a 30-year-old with a history of injuries. For much of this season that investment has seemed hard to justify: Footitt’s injury problems gave way to a return so indecisive that he was left out of the side.
Yet as he bounded in from the Pavilion End, the gifts that had enticed Surrey, and led to Footitt’s selection for England’s tour to South Africa, were undeniable. In a 10-over spell in the early evening, Footitt’s four wickets prized open the game. His alliance of pace, hostility and awkward bounce made him relentless.
The roar he let off after taking his maiden five-for for Surrey was deserved indeed: this was a triumph of will and speed, and refusing to kowtow to a pitch …
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