County Championship: Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence hit tons for Surrey at Sussex

Dan Lawrence and Ollie Pope both made attacking hundreds before bad light halted Surrey’s rapid progress on day three against Sussex at Hove.

When the players came off ten minutes after tea Surrey were 390-3, only 45 runs behind with Lawrence unbeaten on 117 after Pope had made his first Championship century for two years.

The loss of 36 overs could be crucial to Surrey’s hopes of making it an awkward final day for Sussex by going past their first innings’ 435.

After Pope scored 103, Lawrence made the most of a reprieve on 35, when he was badly dropped by sub fielder George Thomas. He hit six sixes in his first hundred of the season, off 92 balls, including two in an over when Ollie Robinson opted to bowl short to a packed leg side field.

Sussex should still be able to save the game on a surface which has offered little assistance for seam or spin, but after drawing and winning their first two games since promotion this was a reminder that Division One cricket represents a big step up.

Curiously, it was Pope’s first County Championship century away from The Oval since his maiden effort at Southampton eight years ago. The 27-year-old had a lean time in the competition between England matches last season when his top score in ten innings was 63. But he made 65 against Hampshire last week and carried on here in ideal batting conditions.

He ruthlessly punished any indiscretions in length and scored on both sides of the wicket. There were 11 boundaries and he also lofted James Coles’ left-arm spin over mid-wicket – although Jayden Seales running around the boundary nearly took what would have been a stunning catch.

Pope’s 22nd first-class century was his first in the Championship for more than two years, but frustratingly he was dismissed two balls after getting there when he gloved a short ball from the persevering Seales, who was the pick of Sussex’s attack.

During the morning session Pope and Dom Sibley took their second-wicket stand to 179 in 42 overs. Sibley was cruising towards his third successive hundred when he chipped up a tame return catch to slow left-armer James Coles, having earlier hit him over long-off for six and ten boundaries. Both batters will have departed feeling they had left runs out there.

Lawrence was soon into his stride, although Thomas will have nightmares about the straightforward catch he dropped at backward square leg off a disconsolate Robinson. The 27-year-old certainly made the most of his reprieve. Five of his sixes were hit into the leg side but the other, a sumptuous straight drive off Coles, was probably the best of them.

At the other end Ben Foakes was happy to play a supporting role, although he did swing Coles over the boundary on one knee.

Lawrence reached his 18th first-class hundred with a somewhat streaky thick edge over the slips off Robinson for his eighth boundary as Surrey scored 162 between lunch and tea in 29 overs.

But just two more were possible in the evening session and with Danny Lamb out of the attack after injuring his shoulder on Saturday, Sussex were probably glad of the opportunity to regroup and come back tomorrow with a new ball only six overs old.

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