Sibley steadies Surrey against Essex

Dom Sibley's half-century was his first of the season for Surrey [Getty Images] Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Kia Oval (day two) Essex 409: Walter 101, Elgar 92, Thain 64; Lawrence 3-14 Surrey 192-3: Sibley 74*, Pope 69, Lawrence 38*; Porter 2-33 Surrey (2pts) trail Essex (4pts) by 217 with seven wickets standing Match scorecard Dom Sibley posted an unbeaten half-century as Surrey fought back after losing early wickets in their County Championship Division One clash against Essex at the Oval. Opener Sibley shared a 105 partnership with Ollie Pope, who looked in good touch for 69 – his third consecutive 50-plus score for Surrey after losing his England Test spot during the winter – until presenting Jamie Porter with a routine return catch. Their efforts enabled the home side, who were looking unsteady at 29-2 in reply to Essex's 409 all out, to close at 192-3 – still 217 behind – with Sibley batting through the last two sessions for a gritty 74 not out.

Noah Thain's career-best 64 had earlier propelled Essex beyond 400 before off-spinner Dan Lawrence wrapped up the innings with 3-14 – including two wickets in as many balls – against his former county. Thain, who resumed in the morning on 33, did well to fend away an early snorter from Gus Atkinson that reared up off the surface and generally looked comfortable against the short ball as he and Simon Harmer extended their overnight partnership to 75. With Thain advancing to his fourth first-class 50, a series of crunching cover drives from Harmer helped to ensure a third batting bonus point was safely stowed away well before the cut-off.

Sean Abbott eventually made the breakthrough as Harmer walked across his stumps to fall lbw for 41, but Shane Snater immediately went on the offensive, pulling the Australian for six and adding two boundaries in his next over. However, the introduction of Lawrence proved inspirational. The off-spinner's first delivery was obligingly swept by Thain into the hands of square leg and Sam Cook sliced the next to slip, where Rory Burns leapt to his right for a stunning one-handed catch.

Although Porter swung and missed at the hat-trick ball, Lawrence wrapped up the innings in his next over by having Snater caught at slip, which left Surrey with a brief pre-lunch spell to negotiate. Burns failed to do so, caught behind nibbling outside off stump at Porter – who beat the bat a number of times along with the equally immaculate Cook as the Essex duo kept their hosts under a tight rein either side of the interval. Surrey could squeeze only six runs out of the first six overs of the afternoon session and endured another setback as Jamie Smith departed cheaply for five, edging behind in Snater's opening burst.