A five wicket haul from Sam Curran and a century from Kumar Sangakkara saw surrey end the third day in Manchester in a dominant position. Sam curran took 5-67 as lancashire we all out for 272 and Sangakkara then made 118 as Surrey declared with a huge lead of 491 runs.
Lancashire started the morning on their overnight 141-5 and Tom Curran made an early breakthrough when he found the outside edge of Ashwell Prince’s bat on 45 and Sangakkara took a low catch at first slip.
Jordan Clark and Aaron Lilley came together and got their heads down against the spin of Gareth Batty and the pace of the Curran brother’s. They took the hosts past 200 but Sam Curran then trapped Clarke LBW for 29 and Lancashire found themselves 201-7. And very next ball the younger Curran bowled Tom Bailey to claim his 5th wicket and Lancashire were eight wickets down.
Batty then had Lilley caught by Matthew Dunn at short midwicket for 33 to leave Lancashire 207-9 as Surrey claimed a third bowling point. Jimmy Anderson and Simon Kerrigan then frustrated the bowlers with a 65 run partnership until Tom Curran bowled Anderson with a slower ball for 42 as Lancashire were all out for 272.
Surrey decided not to enforce the follow on with a lead of 208 runs and Rory Burns alongside Ben Foakes started the second innings in positive fashion. Both found the boundary through the legside but on 14 Foakes was LBW to Tom Bailey to leave Surrey 42-1.
Sangakkara joined Burns and both batsmen played fluently as the Surrey lead continued to increase at an excellent rate. Sangakkara played some sumptuous shots on either side of the wicket and Burns once again looked in terrific form.
They took Surrey past 100 as Sangakkara moved to an excellent fifty from his 62nd delivery and he produced a full repertoire of shots. The hundred partnership arrived but on 44 Burns chipped Kerrigan straight to Anderson at short midwicket to leave Surrey 150-2.
Surrey moved to tea with Sangakkara 76* and Steven Davies unbeaten on 6 and after the interval they continued to push on. Davies departed for 21 off the bowling of Steven Croft and he was followed by Jason Roy for six. Sam Curran went without scoring but Sangakkara moved to his fourth Championship century of the summer from his 115th delivery – it had been a beautifully constructed innings from Sangakkara.
Gary Wilson immediately employed the sweep to good effect but Surrey found themselves 243-6 when Sangakkara was caught by Croft off his own bowling for 118. Tom Curran joined Wilson and launched Kerrigan over long on for six as Wilson continued to “sweep” with great skill.
The declaration came when Tom Curran was bowled by Croft for 19 and Wilson was left undefeated on 30. Surrey’s lead was 491 runs and the Curran’s took the new ball against the Lancashire opening pair of Kyle Brown and Haseeb Hameed. Together they took the hosts to stumps with the scoreboard reading 22-0 knowing they will need to bat the whole day tomorrow to save the game.
Surrey will arrive tomorrow morning knowing if they can take the 10 wickets needed and win the game they will secure the Second Division Title in Manchester.
