Century for Tom Haines as batters dominate day one of Surrey friendly

Tom Haines’ century was the highlight of an excellent day’s batting for Sussex, who made 382 for 5 on the first day of their two-day pre-season friendly against Surrey at the Kia Oval on Monday.

Batting first as part of an arrangement that will see each side bat for 90 overs, Sussex constructed four partnerships of 50 or more. The first of those was between openers Haines and Aaron Thomason who got the visitors off to a fine start under clear blue skies.

Haines was immediately into his stride, pouncing on anything short of a length. He took a particular liking to Jamie Overton off whom he took six boundaries during the Surrey seamer’s opening five-over spell.

Thomason was more watchful, so that when the 50-partnership arrived in the 13th over, he had made 10 from 35 balls compared with Haines’ 36 from 42.

The scoreboard had reached 73 when Thomason became the first man to fall, top-edging a pull off Jordan Clark which was eventually caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after plenty of hangtime.

Joined by Stiaan van Zyl, who was playing his first innings in a Sussex shirt since September 2019, Haines went to fifty from 65 balls two overs later.

He and van Zyl made serene progress either side of lunch, which arrived with Sussex looking comfortable at 107 for one.

The South African played a number of crisply timed shots, including a delightful cover drive off Liam Plunkett for four, while Haines was resolute against improved Surrey bowling.

The pair were three runs short of a hundred partnership when the left-handed van Zyl fenced at a Gus Atkinson delivery and was caught at first slip by Rikki Clarke for 37.

He got a century on his last outing vs. Surrey... 👀

An encouraging morning for @TomHainess, with the opener's fifty coming off 65 balls with ten fours 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mI66FbeG4G

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) March 29, 2021

The next over – the 45th – saw Haines reach his century from 146 balls with 20 fours, the majority of which had been crashed square of the wicket on the off side. It was the 22-year-old’s second century in as many trips to south London, following on from his 117 in the first innings of Sussex’s Bob Willis Trophy fixture against Surrey last August.

With Sussex approaching 200, Haines was finally dismissed for 106 when he was caught at backward point off Atkinson, the Surrey seamer’s tactic of pushing the ball across the left-hander bearing fruit once more.

Tom Clark, meanwhile, was on 12 at the other end and he and new man, captain Ben Brown, set about compiling the biggest partnership of the day.

Building upon Sussex’s solid foundations, both batsmen scored briskly, adding 100 for the fourth wicket in just 126 balls. Clark reached his fifty from 88 balls in the 71st over by lofting Ryan Patel over mid-on for four. Brown notched up his own half-century two overs later from just 63 balls. Both men had found the boundary nine times each.

Two great knocks! ✨

Fifties for both @Ben_Brown26 and @TomClark2702 this afternoon, off 63 balls and 88 balls respectively. 🏏 pic.twitter.com/6KXI5u64aS

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) March 29, 2021

Soon after Sussex had passed 300, Brown retired on 57, having helped add 121 for the fourth wicket.

With 325 on the board, Clark was then dismissed by Overton for 73 having swivel-pulled the ex-Somerset over the boundary a few overs previously to add a six to his 12 fours.

That left just over ten overs for Delray Rawlins (26*) and George Garton (33*) to notch up another fifty partnership and round off a fine day for coach Ian Salisbury’s team who scored their runs at over four per over. 

It will be Surrey’s turn to bat and a first run out of the year for Sussex’s young bowlers when play resumes at 11am on Tuesday.

Follow all the action, including match clips, on the Sussex Cricket Match Centre.