Middlesex then slumped to 160 for seven but Steven Crook hit 61 off 40 balls with five fours and two sixes, Tom Smith (27) joined him in an eighth-wicket stand of 66 in 11 overs, and they were driving Yorkshire to distraction until Smith drove Richard Pyrah to mid-off and Crook sliced Ryan Sidebottom to
cover point.
The 20-year-old England Lions all-rounder calmly pulled Hogg for six and the eighth-wicket stand was worth 48 before Clarke drilled a half-volley from Newby (three for 62) straight to Francois du Plessis at
cover point.
Left-arm seamer Shantry made the breakthrough by having Middlesex captain Ed Joyce caught sharply at
cover point by Dalrymple.
In the 36th over, however, Smith brought up his 50 off 89 balls with his eighth four, to which he added a ninth and 10th three overs later when he twice cut Murtaza Hussain to the
cover point boundary.
In the 36th over Smith brought up his 50 off 89 balls with his eighth four, to which he added a ninth and 10th three overs later when he twice cut Murtaza Hussain to the
cover point boundary.
The first real shot in anger came from Bell, who crashed a Gillespie no-ball over
cover point for six.
His main involvement was a fine diving stop on the
cover point boundary to prevent a Wavell Hinds four.
He offered no chances and brought up his century with a back-foot cut through
cover point for two runs off off-spinner Mohammad Rafique.
The big Yorkshireman looked the best of the bowlers and it was no surprise when he captured the first wicket, Cox being neatly taken at
cover point by Matthew Maynard.
How he gels with one or other of the Middlesex spinners past and present remains to be seen, although one cannot imagine Tuffers doing the donkey work with lines like "And Thorpe plays that one down to
cover point, where Rhodes fields and there is no run," just so Boycs can chip in with the critical analysis.
Surrey were 38 for two but Kumar Sangakkara and Davies soon rattled along with the Sri Lankan in his most majestic form and finding the boundary with a succession of drives through the
cover point region.
Ashique Iqbal (4) lofted the next to the mid-on fielder and the in-form Osama Hassan (45), who crossed over to take strike, was well held at
cover point in the next ball.
