A record partnership from Ben Foakes and Tom Lawes rescued Surrey after they were reduced to 65-6 by Warwickshire on the opening day of the County Championship season at Edgbaston.
Two teams fancied to challenge for the title this season produced a gripping day’s entertainment as Surrey recovered from their early disarray to be all out for 328 in the last over of the day.
Their top-order was blown away by Ethan Bamber (3-59) and Chris Woakes (2-56) before Foakes with 128 and Lawes, with career-best 83, added 155 in 41 overs. It was a Surrey seventh-wicket record against Warwickshire in first-class cricket.
On a pitch offering some help to seamers, the skills of Foakes and Lawes have assured their side a total which, if not imposing, is highly competitive. Warwickshire were left to lament their loss of line and momentum in the second and third sessions.
With an extensively refurbished seam-attack, the home side won the toss so they could bowl under it.
Their first wicket was a gift, however, when Rory Burns ran himself out in the third over. Surrey’s captain played Woakes to mid on, embarked upon an impossible single and failed to regain his ground after wicketkeeper Kai Smith made the most of an inaccurate throw from Ed Barnard.
Smith starred again in the second wicket when Jamie Smith, having just driven Bamber to the cover boundary, attempted to repeat the shot and was caught by the keeper, diving in front of slip.
Sibley and Ollie Pope added 38 in 18 overs before Bamber returned to trap the latter plum lbw. Surrey were grateful for Sibley who dug in with a doggedness that Warwickshire supporters know well from watching him pass 50 on 16 occasions at Edgbaston.
There was no half-century for Sibley this time as he was one of three wickets to fall in nine balls either side of lunch.
From the last ball before the interval, Dan Lawrence edged Bamber to Beau Webster at third slip. Woakes then struck twice in three balls in his first over of the afternoon as Sibley (25) was well-caught by Rob Yates, diving low at second slip, and Ralphie Albert’s middle stump was flattened.
From 65-6, against an attack with its tail up, Foakes and Lawes rebuilt with high resolve and skill. The former set the tone with unflappable correctness while his partner was more aggressive, and quick to punish bowling which began to err in line as the partnership grew. Lawes reached his third first-class half-century from 79 balls and Foakes followed to his 51st from 93 as the pair added 133 from 33 overs up to tea.
They had just dislodged Fred Holland and Walter Lees, who added 145 at The Oval in 1906, from the record books when Lawes perished. Seventeen runs from a maiden century, he scented six of them when Nathan Gilchrist dropped short, but his pull found only the hands of Dan Mousley at deep square leg.
The excellent Foakes found another worthy partner in Sean Abbott (40) in a stand of 108 in 23 overs as runs came swiftly against the new ball.
Foakes reached his 13th first-class century from 176 balls – a superb innings, forged from adversity, for his team.
Abbott lifted Woakes into the building site, where a hotel is under construction, at mid-wicket, before the last twist of an engrossing day saw the last three wickets fall in the last two overs.
Warwickshire debutant Jordan Thompson removed Abbott, caught behind, and Matt Fisher, lbw, in the penultimate over, before Gilchrist castled Foakes.
Report by ECB Reporters’ Network.