County Championship: Ben Foakes century helps Surrey at Warwickshire
A record partnership from Ben Foakes and Tom Lawes saved Surrey after they were beaten 65-6 by Warwickshire on the opening day of the County Championship season at Edgbaston.
The two teams battling for the title this season had a riveting day as Surrey recovered from early turmoil to be bowled out for 328 in the final over of the day.
Their top order was surpassed by Ethan Bamber (3-59) and Chris Woakes (2-56), while Foakes scored 128 and Lawes a career-best 83 to score 155 in 41 overs. This was Surrey’s record seventh wicket against Warwickshire in first-class cricket.
On a pitch that offered little help to the seamers, the skills of Foakes and Lawes guaranteed their side a very competitive, if unimpressive, total. Warwickshire had to lament a loss of line and momentum in the second and third sessions.
With a thoroughly revamped seam attack, the home side won the toss and were thus able to get into the money.
But their first wicket was a gift when Rory Burns got himself caught in the third over. Surrey’s skipper played Woakes until half-time, attempting an impossible single and failing to regain his place after goalkeeper Kai Smith made the most of Ed Barnard’s errant throw.
When Jamie Smith, who had just driven Bamber to the cover boundary, tried to repeat the shot and was caught by the keeper diving in front of the slide, Smith was back in the role at second base.
Sibley and Ollie Pope added 38 in 18 overs before Bamber came back to trap the second plum lbw. Surrey were grateful to Sibley, who held out with a doggedness they knew so well, watching the Warwickshire fans pass 50 on 16 occasions at Edgbaston.
There was no half-century for Sibley this time as he was one of three wickets to fall in nine balls either side of lunch.
On the last ball before the break, Dan Lawrence edged Bamber to Beau Webster at third slip. Woakes then hit two off three balls in his first delivery of the afternoon, Sibley (25) was well caught by Rob Yates, dived low at second slip and leveled Ralphie Albert’s mid-stump.
Against an attack with its tail up from 65-6, Foakes and Lawes rebuilt with great determination and skill. While the former set the tone with unwavering accuracy, his partner was more aggressive and quick to punish bowling that began to go wrong as the partnership grew. Lawes reached his third first-class half-century from 79 balls and Foakes hit his 51st off 93 balls as the pair added 133 from 33 balls at tea.
When Lawes died, they had just removed Fred Holland and Walter Lees, who added 145 points at The Oval in 1906, from the record books. Seventeen runs from his first century, Nathan Gilchrist whiffed on six when he fell short, but his pull only found Dan Mousley’s hands at deep square leg.
The excellent Foakes found another valuable partner in Sean Abbott (40) in a stand of 108 in 23 overs during quick runs against the new ball.
Foakes reached his 13th first-class century after 176 balls; It was a brilliant strike against the odds for his team.
Abbott lifted Woakes to a building site in the middle of the castle where a hotel was under construction; It was the final turn of a riveting day that saw the last three wickets fall in the last two overs.
Warwickshire debutant Jordan Thompson cleared out the trailing Abbott and Matt Fisher in the penultimate over before Gilchrist castled Foakes.
Report from the ECB Correspondents Network.
