“`html
Gus Atkinson of England featured in only his fourth Championship match of the season for Surrey.
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Kia Oval (day one)
Nottinghamshire 231: Slater 50; Fisher 5-61, Atkinson 4-41
Surrey 43-1: Burns 19*, Sibley 14; Pennington 1-9
Surrey 3 pts, Notts 0 pts
Matt Fisher and Gus Atkinson led a dominant Surrey bowling performance, leaving Nottinghamshire struggling in their top-of-the-table County Championship clash at the Kia Oval.
Fisher claimed 5-61, marking his first five-wicket haul for Surrey since joining from Yorkshire last winter, while Atkinson contributed 4-41. Nottinghamshire, trailing the home side by a single point at the start of play in a captivating title race, were dismissed for 231 on the first day of what could be a decisive match.
In response, Surrey reached 43-1 in their 16 overs, with Rory Burns remaining unbeaten on 19. Dom Sibley was caught behind for 14 off Dillon Pennington in the penultimate over, attempting to withdraw his bat from a short delivery.
County Championship day one – Surrey on top against Notts, radio & text
Day one abandoned in six County Championship games
Get cricket news sent straight to your phone
Earlier, Burns won the toss and elected to bowl, taking advantage of a green-tinged surface.
Despite a determined effort from the visitors to compile a competitive score, Surrey, aiming for their fourth consecutive title, emerged as the happier side after the initial exchanges, with Atkinson proving particularly challenging in the prevailing conditions.
Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed was dropped at first slip on seven, but Atkinson, the unlucky bowler, found success a few overs later when Hameed edged again on nine, and Ollie Pope secured a good low catch at second slip.
The best batting of the day for Notts followed, with left-handers Ben Slater and Freddie McCann displaying skill and composure to reach lunch at 75-1 and extend their second-wicket partnership to 64, spanning 24 overs of diligent work.
However, Fisher’s second spell brought about McCann’s dismissal for 34 and, four overs later, Slater’s for an impressive 50 from 95 deliveries.
Both batsmen edged through to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, with Fisher reaping the rewards for his probing, fast-medium bowling that offered the batsmen limited scoring opportunities.
Atkinson was reintroduced for his second spell from the Pavilion End, and with his fifth delivery, he trapped Jack Haynes leg-before for 13, leaving Notts in a precarious position at 132-4.
Joe Clarke, whose 29 included some of the day’s most authoritative strokes, edged Atkinson to Foakes.
Following an early tea break due to the afternoon’s second brief rain shower, Atkinson further compounded Notts’ struggles.
Lyndon James, troubled repeatedly by Atkinson during a tense 17, chipped a catch to mid-wicket, and Dan Worrall finally joined the wickets column by having Liam Patterson-White caught behind for eight off the final ball of his 16th over.
Notts’ 174-7 quickly deteriorated to 187-8 when Fisher replaced Atkinson, who had taken 3-19 in nine overs either side of tea.
South African wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne was dismissed leg-before for 13, attempting a shot towards mid-wicket, and Fisher continued his momentum by claiming the wickets of Josh Tongue and last man Pennington.
Tongue offered Foakes his fifth catch of the innings while attempting a drive, and Pennington’s valuable 14 was ended by an inswinger into his pads after he and Hutton, who pulled Fisher for six in a defiant unbeaten 30, had added 28 for the tenth wicket.
ECB Reporters’ Network supported by Rothesay
Comments can not be loaded
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser
“`