Gloucestershire suffer One-Day Cup defeat at the Kia Oval
27 July 2016
Gareth Batty led from the front with a superb 5 for 41 as Surrey beat Gloucestershire by 165 runs at the Kia Oval to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of the West Countrymen in last September’s Royal London One-Day Cup final.
Surrey captain Batty ran through the middle and lower order with his off breaks as Gloucestershire slid to 158 all out in reply to his side’s challenging 50-over total of 323 for 8.
Batty and Jade Dernbach, who took 3 for 33, followed up half-centuries from Steven Davies, Rory Burns and Sam Curran in an impressive team performance from the home side.
Davies made 79 and Burns 50, but the stand-out performance was an 89-run stand between brothers Sam and Tom Curran. Sam Curran hit a List A career-best 57 from 56 balls, while Tom Curran was eventually run out off a wide for 39.
In reply, Gloucestershire never recovered from the early loss of Michael Klinger, Phil Mustard and Chris Dent to the pace bowling of Dernbach. Only Hamish Marshall (55) offered any real resistance as the defending champions were bowled out in 33.2 overs.
Jason Roy reacted to Surrey's decision to bat first by racing to 17 off nine balls, with four boundaries. But the visitors countered by having Aaron Finch lbw playing back to Matt Taylor and Roy edging Liam Norwell behind for 34 - low and to the right of keeper Mustard, who was making his debut for Gloucestershire on loan from Durham.
Davies lifted both Craig Miles and Benny Howell over midwicket for sixes on his way to a 47-ball half-century and added 77 in 12 overs with Dominic Sibley. But Howell struck when the latter, shaping to cut, chopped the ball on to his stumps for 27.
Left-hander Davies holed out to deep midwicket for 79 off Norwell. Two overs later, Norwell added a third wicket to his tally when Ben Foakes was bowled through the gate.
Burns was caught behind shortly after completing a 49-ball fifty. But with the Curran brothers batting attractively and aggressively in their 13-over seventh wicket stand, Surrey looked well placed at the halfway stage.
The 18-year-old eventually skied a pull to the wicketkeeper, though not before reaching his maiden one-day half-century, which came off 48 deliveries.
Gloucestershire's assault on a victory target of 324 didn't get off to the best of starts with Dernbach bowling both Klinger, who was undone by a cleverly disguised slower delivery, and Mustard, playing a loose drive, first ball.
Two overs later, Dent responded by cutting Dernbach violently for four before getting a leading edge to cover point to make it 24 for three.
Marshall's lone hand included a cut over third man for six off Stuart Meaker and a ramp shot off Tom Curran, which sailed over fine leg for another maximum.
Ian Cockbain, edged Batty low to backward point and Graeme van Buuren was caught at short fine leg, though not before Marshall had moved to a 46-ball fifty.
Howell was caught behind off a lifting ball from paceman Meaker, and when Marshall departed two overs later, caught behind off the same bowler for 55, it put Surrey in a very commanding position.
The home side went on to secure a win by 165 runs.
