Middlesex collapse late on first day against Surrey

Middlesex lost five wickets for 60 runs after tea as Surrey hit back on day one at The Oval.

Nick Gubbins had led the way for the visitors with a classy 91, while Sam Robson hit 53 in an opening stand of 126.

But Middlesex struggled to capitalise on a tea score of 232-2 as an injury-hit Surrey attack emerged with real credit from what had seemed likely to be a tough day in the field.

James Burke’s double strike, removing Dawid Malan (58) and Adam Voges (47), took all the momentum from Middlesex’s innings and Surrey captain Gareth Batty then dismissed John Simpson for 12 after opting to delay taking the second new ball until the 95th over.

Tom Curran bowled Paul Stirling for seven off an inside edge and the 21-year-old seamer quickly added the scalp of Ollie Rayner, lbw for 6, as Middlesex’s slide continued.

Batty ended up with 2-60, having begun Surrey’s fightback when Robson skipped down the pitch to the fourth ball after lunch and was smartly stumped by Ben Foakes.

But Surrey’s only other success of the afternoon session came when the left-handed Gubbins, nine short of a maiden first-class hundred, mishit Curran to mid off.

Like Robson and Gubbins before him, Malan was also the architect of his own downfall as he aimed a loose back-foot waft at a short ball from Burke and edged behind to Foakes.

He had added 72 for the third wicket with Voges but the Middlesex captain – back in the team after his enforced fortnight’s lay-off for concussion – was then undone by a full ball from Burke which trapped him lbw.