Surrey | Mark Stoneman (23), Dom Sibley (45), Kumar Sangakkara (11), Rory Burns (17), Ben Foakes (7), Scott Borthwick (6), Sam Curran (58), Tom Curran (59), Gareth Batty (13), Ravi Rampaul (14), Jade Dernbach (16).
Essex Eagles | Alastair Cook (26), Nick Browne (10), Tom Westley (21), Varun Chopra (6), Ravi Bopara (25), Adam Wheater+, Ryan ten Doeschate* (27), Ashar Zaidi (99), Simon Harmer (11), Neil Wagner (13), Matt Quinn (94).
Umpires | NJ Llong & MJ Saggers
Toss | Surrey won & chose to bat
Result | Essex Eagles won by 1 wicket
Match Highlights
Match Report
Simon Harmer carried The Eagles to a 1-wicket victory against Surrey at The Kia Oval with an unbeaten 44 to leave his side with a perfect start in their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign, and a record of two wins from two matches.
In an absorbing low-scoring contest, the visitors had been set 211 for victory but were in deep trouble when they slumped to 128 for 7 in the 34th over.
But former South Africa Test all-rounder Harmer, who signed a two-year contract extension with Essex this week, proved up to the daunting task of securing victory for his side.
Surrey had been bowled out for 210 but what had seemed a modest score, appeared a daunting figure by the time Harmer, who joined Essex as a Kolkak player at the start of the season, strode to the middle with his side 128 for 7 and 16 overs left.
He and Ryan ten Doeschate set about restoring the Eagles interest in proceedings and they swelled the total with a half-century partnership spanning 8 overs before skipper ten Doeschate was caught behind the wicket for 45.
Neil Wagner scored 4 out of 14 for the penultimate wicket and when last man Matt Quinn arrived at the crease, Surrey looked favourites to succeed.
But the last wicket pair had other ideas and Quinn, who finished with 7 not out, played an admirable support role as Harmer picked off the runs.
The final over arrived with 4 runs needed and Harmer on strike. Sam Curran sent down a wide with the first delivery and after a ‘dot’ ball, a leg side delivery was steered backward of square to the boundary to complete the narrow success.
Ravi Bopara had earlier scored 36 and Tom Westley 34 but with wickets falling at regular intervals, Surrey held the initiative until Harmer’s intervention.
He had also returned figures of 2 for 45 when the home side opened proceedings having won the toss but they too struggled to make significant progress.
They were indebted to former Essex batsman/wicket-keeper Ben Foakes who struck an unbeaten 77 and figured in the only two worthwhile stands of the innings; 73 with Scott Borthwick and 57 with Tom Curran.
But with Quinn (3-34) and Bopara (3-46) well-supported by Neil Wagner (2-51) and Harmer (2-45), together with some keen fielding and excellent keeping from Adam Wheater that earned him four victims, the home side were bowled out in 47.4 overs.
Photo Gallery
Photos | Nick Wood (www.unshaken-photography.co.uk)
Interval Report
The Eagles dismissed Surrey for 210 in their Royal London One-Day Cup clash at The Kia Oval with Matt Quinn and Ravi Bopara sharing 6 wickets whilst Neil Wagner and Simon Harmer both claimed two wickets apiece.
Had it not been for a fine innings by former Essex player Ben Foakes, Surrey’s effort would have looked particularly miserable. Wicket-keeper batsman Foakes scored an unbeaten 77 as he held the innings together facing 92 deliveries of which he sent five to the boundary.
The home side won the toss but were soon in trouble against the new ball attack of Wagner and Quinn who reduced the opposition to 24 for 2 within 7 overs. Quinn had Mark Stoneman caught by Varun Chopra at cover for 3 whilst Wagner removed Kumar Sangakkara for 6 when Adam Wheater claimed the first of his four victims.
Wheater was quick to stump Dominic Sibley for 19 when the batsman stepped out to drive Simon Harmer and the keeper added Tom Curran to his list of casualties when Quinn found a leading edge late in the innings and departed for 33.
Wheater’s finest dismissal though was to account for Sam Curran for a duck when he dived to his left to hold the ball inches from the ground as Ravi Bopara claimed his second wicket in as many deliveries.
That left the home side 119 for 6 with 15 overs remaining.
Foakes had arrived a the crease at 41 for 3 and played sensibly, driving selectively. He and Scott Borthwick added 73 in 19 overs before Bopara ended the stand that had lasted for just over an hour when he bowled Borthwick.
Tom Curran and Foakes added 57 in 10 overs for the 7th wicket but those two partnerships were the only stands of any significance.
In gathering gloom for the home side and the weather, Gareth Batty and Ravi Ramapul went for 7 and 2 respectively and although Jade Denbach clubbed a 6 off Quinn, it was the bowler who had the final word when Dernbach drove to Ryan ten Doeschate soon afterwards to leave the gallant Foakes out of partners.
