County Championship: Barnes leads Surrey fightback v Glamorgan

Before the start of the third day, Surrey had lost the services of England pacer Gus Atkinson who had been withdrawn in preparation for the Test against New Zealand, with Tom Lowes coming on.

Resuming at 82-2, night-watchman Rahul Chahar hit Mason Crane’s leg-spin for two sixes.

He more than did his job, standing on 76 with Barnes when he was caught by Ben Kellaway for 36.

Dan Lawrence, who had been in fine form averaging 78 in the previous seven matches, was bowled for no runs by a pitch from Ryan Hadley.

With Ollie Pope starting strongly, Barnes looked a bit uncomfortable as he reached his season’s highest score, but Kieron Carlson nearly chipped away at 82.

He completed a brilliant century with 13 fours and a six off 220 balls with a pair of fours from Crane, Pope reaching his 50 with the last delivery of the old ball when Surrey were 231-4.

Burns eventually fell with the score level, caught leg-side by Tom Norton, while Sam Curran took a single first ball to avoid a couple but was not gone as Tim van der Googen was lent to Chris Cook.

Pope was batting faultlessly as Glamorgan’s bowlers worked hard in the heat, until he drove in Crane and miscued mid-on to put Surrey in trouble.

Ryan Patel (40) and Adam Thomas (30) followed with more stout resistance in the evening sun before falling to Hadley.

The last wicket pair of Jordan Clarke and Saab Lawes, both batting further up the order but banished by a pair of nightwatchmen, batted resolutely to put on an unbeaten stand of 56 runs against some tiring bowlers.

With dozens of pigeons and gulls besieging the outfield, Glamorgan’s frustration grew as the partnership kept alive any hope of setting a competitive target, with Lowes on 31 overnight and Clarke on 22 not out.

Glamorgan’s Australian bowler Ryan Hadley told BBC Sport Wales in the final match of his contract:

“It’s always going to be tough work. Things happened quickly in the first innings and we knew it wasn’t going to go that way, there weren’t as many monsters on the wicket as we thought there might be by now. But it bodes well for us to chase so hopefully we finish quickly.

“It was 26 or 27 degrees today, it felt a bit hotter and maybe I was anti-acclimatised (from Australia), it was a big sweaty day with only three seamers so the lads were all on a big shift. It’s nice to be in the game and a bit up, I’d like to think.

“Hopefully once we take the last wicket tomorrow, that’s my last contribution for Glamorgan on stage this season (rather than batting).

“It’s been really good, the boys are creating something special under Doss (Richard Dawson) and Kieran (Carlson). It’s nice to add some energy to the group and the boys like me! If they come back, I want to come back.”

Surrey captain Rory Burns told BBC Radio London:

“We always knew it was going to be missing, with an under-par first innings and trying to get back into the game. It was a decent 100 over from us and hopefully we can build on that, it was a very good (tenth wicket) partnership.

“Delighted to get a century, but this is what the team needs, to put a marker and set the tone.

“It’s a nice feeling but it will be nicer if we keep going and hopefully put some pressure on (Glamorgan), then see where we get.

“There’s been a little variable bounce, a little more spin later in the day, fingers crossed those things play a role.”