by Matt Morlidge
Surrey captain Gareth Batty led the fightback yesterday as Surrey restricted Durham to a score of 279-9 on day two of the County Championship match at the Oval, after a fine start.
Batty finished the day with figures of 4-73, and was helped by Zander De Bruyn (3-28) and Tim Linley (2-40) in their quest to put a disappointing end of day one behind them.
The team collapsed from 221-4 to 237 all out on day one, with debutant Durham spinner Ryan Buckley taking five wickets. However, 35-year-old Batty put on a spinning masterclass on a rain-affected day.
At the start of the day, Gary Keedy and England hopeful Stuart Meaker were struggling to make any impact with the ball, as it seemed that Durham were set to post a big score. They continued their momentum from the end of day one, with Mark Stoneman reaching his 50 off just 53 balls.
He was complimented at the crease by Will Smith, but captain Batty stepped up with a much-needed wicked for the home side and trapped the opener lbw for 27 leaving the visitors - still in a comfortable position - at 88-1.
With Surrey in need of a string of quick wickets if they were to have a chance of securing their first County Championship win of the season, Batty was joined by experienced left-arm spinner Keedy.
The home side started to put the previously comfortable Stoneman under pressure, and had plenty of lbw appeals dismissed on number-three Scott Borthwick early in his innings.
Having escaped the pressure put on by the Surrey spinners though, the visitors looked on their way to be well in control by lunch, but two wickets in five minutes for the home side turned things around.
De Bruyn had Borthwick caught behind by Steven Davies for 14, before Batty - now bowling from the pavilion end - got the all-important wicket of Stoneman for 77, caught at short leg by the newly crowned young player of 2012 Rory Burns.
After lunch, the South African all-rounder De Bruyn was at it again as he bowled dangerous Durham batsman Adrian Stokes for 20, leaving them 170-4, and giving Surrey just the momentum they needed for the afternoon session push.
However, shortly after the covers were on, and with a brief interval, rain fell until play continued again at quarter past four.
The interval did not do much to dampen Surrey's revival though, as in the first over after the restart De Bruyn struck again as he trapped ex-England star Paul Collingwood lbw, giving him figures at the time of 3-9 off seven overs.
Another ex-England player, wicket-keeper Phil Mustard entered the crease, and along with experienced Dale Benkenstein put on a decent partnership, with some good hitting from the former.
Batty was soon to make his mark though, as first he had Mustard out lbw for 35, and then saw Australian Callum Thorp edge behind to Jason Roy to leave the visitors 246-7, still nine runs ahead of Surrey's first innings score.
With the home side looking to keep the first innings deficit to a minimum, the new ball was introduced – despite Batty's success – at 6 o'clock, half an hour before the close of play.
Straight away the decision paid dividends, as Linley had Mark Wood caught behind, and then Chris Rushworth caught and bowled in the same over.
Durham still had chance for more runs though, as Benkenstein brought up a comfortable 50 during the tail's demise, and was joined at the crease by teenager Buckley, who was already enjoying a fine debut.
Durham finished the day with a 42-run lead over Surrey, and have five bonus points as opposed to the home side's four. The home side will hope to take the last wicket quickly on day three and get on level terms with Durham with the bat as soon as possible.
