Surrey v Hants - rain for four days

An excellent first hour

Patel’s batting in the 4 day game these past 2 seasons has been nothing short of abysmal. His average last year was in the teens-worse than just about every other player including bowlers.

Geddes would have been my pick

Brilliant from the bowlers, and top work in the field with the catching

Hampshire 151 all out off 44.4 Overs

No overs of spin!

Worrall, Clark, Atkinson 3 wickets each

Excellent half days work!

Jackers wrote:Not an easy decision at the toss: our normal inclination is to bowl first, but looking at the weather forecast I'd bat today with a view to bowling in the more unsettled conditions tomorrow.

at least we do get to bat today. Hopefully we will make the most of it before the weather might set in over the next 2 days

Definitely feels like the most bowler friendly pitch we've had for some time

Well Ryan Patel certainly has an opportunity now to show he's worth his place in the side. Full bowling points, hopefully we get a few batting points tomorrow

Just a bit too bowler friendly I think!

I don't think he should have played, but in the context of the game this has been a good innings from Patel

Could have been a lot worse.

I''m relieved we stemmed the flow of wickets after tea. Quite apart from the fact we now have the edge in the match, I think we may narrowly have avoided attracting the attention of the pitch inspectors.

It's one thing producing result wickets, but we need to take care not to give the ECB an excuse to even out Essex's inevitable incoming points deduction.

Rory Burns has - so far - played the captain's innings. All the bowlers bowled well, though Kemar was rather loose in his first spell. He took two fine catches.

Patel was excellent and got a grubber to get him out. Hopefully there will be a few of those when we bowl in their 2nd inns.

Two-tier seam-bowling attack.

Let's be honest, Burns did Boycott proud today... but you would like him to kick on tomorrow.

Does look like it got easier to bat after about 25-30 overs in both innings. Really key now we take advantage of thus and get a lead, building on the platform Burns and Patel have set.

Well, I didn't say to my son yesterday morning at 11am that I couldn't see the point in picking Kemar. Bowled well and took a wicket, two decent catches, and now out-Sibleying Sibley.

Good knock from Kemar and the skipper is playing a blinder.

How we have only lost two wickets today, I have no idea. Pitch is doing plenty with the new ball.

This is perfect. Sod the bonus points, just get a substantial.lead. We can afford to lose a couple of sessions to weather tomorrow and still get a result on Monday (and cricket to watch on a nice day!)

Is Church back on commentary?

Unfortunately not.

Quite bizarre that there is no explanation or update.

No sign of Churchy on Twitter since September 29th. He used to post every day!!!

Churchy was chatting to Cam Steel on 6th April ... https://twitter.com/surreycricket/status/1776680992062783561 ... has he been spotted since? (I've not listened to comms much, either been watching live or working (boo))

I can't believe there's been so much play.

Like cricketers, it seems that commentators are better when not in the team.