The conditions in England are favorable for fast bowlers. This knowledge of cricket is hardly hidden from anyone. There are many tales, stories and examples of the havoc that fast bowlers wreak in England, especially with the red ball, in the long history of cricket. Still, whenever there is a fall of wickets during a match, it is surprising. Especially when 23 wickets fall in a single day and no team can score 100 runs. The same thing happened on the second day of the match between Yorkshire and Surrey in the County Championship.

In the 52nd match of the County Championship Division-1 at The Oval ground in London, the fast bowlers rained fire in the clash between hosts Surrey and Yorkshire. The first day of this match was badly affected by rain and only about 60 overs could be played. In this, Yorkshire, batting first, scored only 133 runs after losing 7 wickets in the whole day. The weather of London remained kind on the second day i.e. Thursday 3 September.

Surrey and Yorkshire could not score 100 runs

Stumps were declared due to low light shortly before the scheduled end of the day’s play. But by then so much had happened that it is difficult to believe. Yorkshire started the day by leading their first innings. The team added 52 runs till the last 3 wickets fell and the team was all out for 185 runs. After this, there was a flurry of wickets and this was the situation for both the teams.

It was started by the Yorkshire bowlers, who all out Surrey in just 30 overs. This team, full of many batsmen with experience of Test cricket, was all out for just 83 runs. It seemed that Yorkshire would now convert its lead of 102 runs into a huge target but it could not happen. Surrey’s fast bowler Matthew Fisher wreaked such havoc that Yorkshire’s second innings was ruined and the team collapsed for just 82 runs.

23 wickets lost in a single day

After such ‘slaughter’ it seemed that wickets would fall in Surrey’s second innings too but in 7.4 overs of play, Surrey scored 27 runs and did not lose any wicket. But despite this, the 23 wickets that fell throughout the day put the conditions, the pitch and the level of batting under question. As far as win-loss is concerned, Surrey got the target of 185 runs, for which it has two days time.