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Delray Rawlins and his Sussex’s Second Eleven teammates were defeated in their opening three-day friendly match of the new season, as Surrey triumphed by 149 runs at the Blackstone Academy Ground, sponsored by Hurstpierpoint College.
Rawlins did not bat or bowl on the final day.
An incredible spell of bowling from Amar Virdi helped the Second XI dismiss Sussex for 68 and dramatically win the opening match of the season by 149 runs.
The Final Day began with Sussex declaring their first innings closed on 356/3 after 90 overs – following Surrey’s lead who declared on 380/3 after the same number of overs at the end of day one. This left both teams with 45 overs to bat on the final day, with Surrey going first.
The main man in the Surrey second innings was wicket keeper Ollie Pope, who hit 89 as they totalled 193/4. Other runs came from first innings centurions Ryan Patel 25 and Arun Harinath who scored 23 as the visitors set Sussex 218 win from their 45 overs.
Sussex got off to the worst possible start, quickly finding themselves 3/3 with early wickets spread across both Surrey opening bowlers, Conor McKerr and Ravi Rampaul.
It never picked up from there, with young off-spinner Virdi – who graduated from the Surrey CCC Academy at the end of last summer – bowling superbly as he ran through the middle and late order to record brilliant figures of 6-3-6-5.
Sussex’s serene progress through their first innings, where opener Will Beer hit an unbeaten century, looked a thing of the past as they were unable to cope with Virdi, finishing their innings long before their 45 overs were due to be completed.
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