Two wickets for Abi Sakande on abridged first day of Surrey friendly

Ahead of the start of the Championship season later this week, Sussex’s bowlers – including for the first time, Ishant Sharma – added another 43 overs to their legs on the first day of the pre-season friendly against Surrey at The 1st Central County Ground.

On a day bookended by weather-related disruption, Surrey reached 189-3 at the close thanks largely to a 127-run fourth wicket partnership between Scott Borthwick (55*) and Sam Curran (79*).

Sharma and Ollie Robinson shared the new ball for Sussex after play got underway at 1pm and both bowled tight opening spells.

Robinson made an early breakthrough when Rory Burns flashed at a rising delivery in the third over, steering the ball into the hands of Stiaan van Zyl at point for six.

David Wiese and Abi Sakande both proved hostile when they entered the attack, generating plentiful bounce.

Sakande struck with an outswinger that took a route via Ryan Patel’s outside edge to the dependable Harry Finch at second slip with the score on 44.

Wary of coming forward after being hit on the shoulder by a Wiese short ball, Ollie Pope was then trapped in front to give Sakande his second wicket and leave Surrey on 62-3 in the 20th over.

Borthwick and Curran were cautious to begin with, but as the ball softened and provided less movement both through the air and off the seam, they began to build a healthy partnership.

Borthwick’s fifty came up after 85 balls, but he was soon overtaken by an increasingly aggressive Curran who reached his own half century off 62 deliveries with a six off Danny Briggs.

As the light deteriorated, Ben Brown was limited by the umpires to bowling his spinners and after a few more lusty blows from Curran off Briggs and Will Beer it was decided to call a halt to proceedings just after five o’clock.

Surrey have declared their innings, giving Sussex’s batsmen a final chance for some time in the middle tomorrow before the competitive campaign begins against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Friday.