Surrey make statement as Pope pummels Hampshire
Surrey’s road to retaining the County Championship was kickstarted in fine fashion as Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley tore Hampshire’s bowling attack to shreds in the final session of day four at the Oval.
Pope ended the game in style, hitting successive sixes having already blasted a century in just 93 balls. Accompanied by Sibley, the pair reached a partnership of 193 in only 31 overs. The duo handed Surrey their first win of the County Championship this season.
The game seemed to be hanging in the balance at the start of day four. Hampshire were well set on 198/5 and looked like they could post a high score that would put a Surrey win beyond reach.
A fantastic start by Surrey, however, handed control back to the hosts. Tom Lawes took the vital wicket of Nick Gubbins who had reached 84, and thus began a Hampshire collapse. Kemar Roach claimed the wickets of James Fuller and Kyle Abbot in quick succession with some fine fast bowling. Daniel Worrall completed his five-wicket haul and finished off Hampshire’s tail end, skittling Keith Barker and Mohammad Abbas in the space of four balls.
Hampshire managed 258, setting Surrey a target of 243. With less than a day’s play to reach the total, it looked like a challenging feat. Surrey’s openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley began in slow but considered fashion in the short period of batting they had before the lunch break.
As the pair continued as the day went on, it looked as though the game was heading for a draw. It took a good spell of bowling by Kyle Abbott to break the opening partnership. A tempting ball outside off stump drew the edge of Burns, with James Vince taking a good catch at slip.
Enter Ollie Pope. The England international immediately brought life to a game that sorely needed it. A notable increase in the run rate was seen after tea, with Pope spanking a number of fours to the boundary.
Perhaps watching his partner’s total climb ever closer to his own, in half the number of balls, inspired Sibley to play some shots of his own. A completely out of character reverse sweep raced away to the boundary, and left some Surrey fans wondering what had happened to the real Dom Sibley.
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At points it seemed like the pair were in a race with each other to see who could grab their century first, with both reaching 50 within an over of each other. It was Ollie Pope, who has been enjoying a winter of ‘Bazball’ cricket, who ultimately won the race.
He left Sibley in his wake, hitting 14 fours and three sixes in a match winning innings. An improvised ‘shovel’ shot cleared the fences and brought the Oval to its feet. The runs kept ticking away, and Hampshire had simply no reply. Even Mo Abbas, who had taken six wickets in the first innings, could find no way to stop the bullish Pope.
Ever the showman, Pope took Surrey ahead of Hampshire’s total in entertaining fashion. Smashing Felix Organ back over his head for successive sixes. It was a fascinating end to a test that could prove to be a vital one later in the season, with both Hampshire and Surrey having their sights firmly set on claiming the County Championship title.
A statement win for Surrey, a statement performance by Ollie Pope, and a statement that ‘Bazball’ has already begun leaking into the county cricket scene.
