Old boy Nel haunts Northants with six of the best

Published on Thursday 11 June 2009 14:11

South African Andre Nel returned to haunt Northamptonshire with a six-wicket haul as Surrey bowled out the hosts for 209.

The 31-year-old former South Africa international, who joined Northamptonshire in 2003, relished his return to Wantage Road taking Championship best figures of six for 36 off just 19 overs.

Compatriot Jade Dernbach also claimed three for 74 with opener Stephen Peters the only batsman to make it past 50.

But the wickets continued to tumble as Surrey - still looking for their first County Championship win of the season - lost their top order to reach stumps at 117 for four.

After Mark Butcher offered the home side first use of a green-tinged pitch, Nel struck in his fourth and eighth overs.

Rob White (6) and Mark Nelson (12) both edged to keeper Jonathan Batty, as the paceman found substantial swing and seam movement to take two for 20 in his initial nine-over spell.

Home skipper Nicky Boje soon became Batty's third victim off Dernbach, as his team struggled to lunch at 89 for three.

Peters, playing his first innings since breaking a thumb in late April, showed good judgment of line and length to reach 50 from 71 balls with nine fours.

However, the former Essex opener was unable to make much further progress, as he drove Dernbach loosely to Mark Ramprakash at mid-off shortly after the interval to finish on 59.

The batsmen continued to struggle as Nel dismissed David Willey (4) and debutant wicketkeeper David Murphy (14), before Andrew Hall was bowled playing no shot to Surrey's Australian Indian Premier League star Ryan Harris for 23.

Nel completed his first five-wicket haul for Surrey when he bowled David Lucas for a duck, reducing the home side to 147 for 8.

Johan van der Wath (28) and Monty Panesar took the Steelbacks past 200 in an enterprising ninth-wicket stand of 58, before Nel removed his fellow countryman, caught at point.

In front of England's head selector Geoff Miller, Panesar played some excellent shots before giving Batty his fifth catch of the day off Dernbach for 38, only one short of a career best.

Northamptonshire produced an immediate riposte, removing both Surrey openers in the first five overs.

Left-armer Lucas bowled Michael Brown (12) with a big inswinger, before Scott Newman (10) edged Van der Wath to Murphy, giving the 19-year-old Loughborough University student his first championship dismissal.

Seamer David Wigley then claimed a notable double scalp. After hitting five sweetly timed fours, Mark Butcher (32) chipped to mid-off, before Ramprakash, who batted 90 minutes for 17, was clean bowled.

Usman Afzaal and Batty survived dropped catches in the closing overs to leave the game evenly poised.

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Old boy Nel haunts Northants with six of the best

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