Pietersen’s Surrey humbled at Fenner’s

The three-day match at Fenner’s ended with just the third ball of Cambridge’s second innings as Ben Ackland hit the four required for victory after Surrey had slumped to 224 all out in their second knock.

And while Pietersen fared better with the bat second time out, top-scoring with 48 before falling to Robert Wooley, his efforts failed to prevent Cambridge claiming a win many may have thought unlikely at the start of play on Wednesday morning.

Despite taking a wicket before Surrey had registered a run, the county side rallied with Arun Harinath (80), Matthew Spriegel (30) and Pietersen (30) helping to steady the ship.

However, once Zafar Ansari’s left-arm spin once again underlined Pietersen’s susceptibility to that type of bowling, the young Cambridge bowler ripped through the middle order claiming 5-33 in 15.3 overs as Surrey declared on 234-9. Paul Best also claimed 2-74 from 23 overs.

In reply, Cambridge hit a mammoth 455 all out with Ackland and Ansari sharing a century opening stand before Ansari (41) fell to Surrey quick Tom Jewell (5-49). The young bowler then claimed Ackland (45) two overs later and Hughes for six as Cambridge’s top order wobbled from 100-0 to 109-3.

However, South African-born batsman Craig Park plundered 81 runs as Cambridge kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Park’s excellent knock was to be put in the shade, however, as Best, batting at eight, hit a mammoth 150, including 20 fours. His century was the first by Cambridge against a county side since 2008.

Josh Poysden also played his part, hitting 47 off 81 balls before Best was last man out to applause from Cambridge and Surrey supporters alike for an outstanding knock.

Batting again, Surrey again lost a wicket without troubling the scorer as Wilson went third ball to Peter Turnbull.

Harinath (41) and Pietersen (48) helped Surrey recover, but once they had fallen to Best and Wooley respectively, the rest of the county side’s batsmen fell at regular intervals with only Lancefield (35) offering any real resistance as Wooley (3-54), Turnbull (2-38), Best (2-94) and the excellent Poysden (3-20) rattled through the Surrey card.
 

With a lead of only three runs to defend, Surrey were put out of their misery with the third ball of the innings; Ackland’s four bringing cheers around the ground as Cambridge were left to celebrate a win against a side containing one of the finest players of the modern era.