Cricket: Surrey show their winning attitude

ON THIS evidence it is more than a mere 16 counties which separate the Championship leaders Surrey from bottom-placed Essex. It is attitude. And with Surrey and what appeared to be a brigade of firemen in town, Chelmsford positively bristled with the stuff. The firemen were being addressed for much of the afternoon by an impassioned shop steward in the neighbouring park.

Then there was the news that Alec Stewart - a man who exemplifies attitude in a capital way - had been appointed MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. His two sharp catches at slip when Essex began their reply portrayed his professionalism utterly.

So it was no surprise at the way Adam Hollioake and Alistair Brown took their fifth-wicket stand on to an impressive 131 in a belligerent 25 overs, in the process dragging Surrey off the rocks where they had been wallowing on the first day at 66 for 4.

Even when Hollioake was out, to what appeared to be a rather casual drive sliced to third man, followed two balls later by brother Ben (leading edge this time) the Surrey crew did not panic. Nor when Brown perished for a good-looking 79, off what was for him a prudent 108 balls (one six and seven fours).

Jonathan Batty, with one half-century already under his belt this summer, took up the running and proceeded to play sensibly for a deserved second.

He shared in stands of 49 and 40 with Alex Tudor and Martin Bicknell, before he was joined by last man Saqlain Mushtaq. The Pakistani Test off- spinner helped accelerate the scoring as they added a breezy 63 in 71 balls. Having reached his highest score for Surrey and within touching distance of a half-century, he had the misfortune to be left stranded there when Batty cut a delivery straight to Paul Grayson at cover point after almost three hours occupation of the crease.

Few Essex bowlers emerged with any credit. Peter Such's off-spin was hardly called upon by Nasser Hussain, the acting captain, although Jamie Grove should remember his first-class debut. His first two wickets were the Hollioake brothers, whom he claimed in three balls. He then knocked back Bicknell's stumps for a return of 3 for 74, bettered only by the excellent Mark Ilott's 4 for 64.