Old boy Afzaal puts Northamptonshire to sword
Former Northamptonshire batsmen Usman Afzaal piled more misery on his old employers as Surrey ended day two with a mammoth 219-run lead at Wantage Road.
Afzaal, who moved to Surrey at the start of last season, made an unbeaten 156 - just 12 short of his career-best score.
The 32-year-old was supported by Australian Ryan Harris who smashed 14 fours and two sixes on the way to a run-a-ball innings of 94 as Surrey ended day two on 428 for seven.
Northamptonshire's bowlers performed as disappointingly as their batsmen on the opening day, with only three wickets falling all day - the pick of which were seamer David Lucas' dismissals of Jonathan Batty and Chris Schofield.
Surrey started the day on 113 for four, responding to 209 all out.
Their pairing of Batty and Afzaal encountered few problems in the early stages, and not even England spinner Monty Panesar's arrival could spark change as Afzaal notched his half-century - which included nine fours - off 93 balls.
Afzaal brought up the century partnership with wicketkeeper Batty in fine style before lunch, smashing Panesar over long on for six.
However, the home side did not go into lunch empty-handed, with Lucas making the day's first breakthrough with the last ball before the break when he forced Batty to edge to wicketkeeper David Murphy for 48.
Surrey came out for the middle session with a 15-run lead but lost Schofield to Lucas early on, only for Australian overseas player Harris to cut loose.
Harris was nursing a damaged knee sustained while bowling but put that to one side with the aid of Michael Brown, who served as a runner.
Afzaal got bogged down in the nineties, but finally brought up his century with a daring single.
Harris prospered, smashing the Northamptonshire attack to all parts as Surrey went in at tea on 316 for six from 102 overs.
Harris reached his half-century shortly after the restart from 58 balls.
But later tried one shot too many, falling leg before to Wigley six runs short of a ton.
A late flurry of wickets failed to come as Murtaza Hussain guided Afzaal past the 150 mark.
Hussain did himself no harm smashing three fours on the way to an unbeaten 17 off 56 balls as Surrey ended the day well and truly on top in the 132nd over.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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