Cricket: Terry adds to Surrey's misery

Surrey 150; Hampshire 164-1

HAMPSHIRE, enjoying a League break, played Emmerdale Farm at Rowlands Castle last weekend, a light-hearted fund-raiser in Paul Terry's benefit season. Yesterday's visitors, meanwhile, were Surrey - a change of cast maybe but a lot more soft soap.

Surrey were third in the Championship before this match, but they are now on a slippery slope. Sussex started the rot and last week it continued at Colchester, where Essex, largely through Mark Ilott, hassled them out for 88 in the first innings on the way to a comprehensive victory.

Surrey were in deep trouble from the third over onwards here and already showing a deficit before the close as Terry began homing in fast on three figures with a huge six off Andy Smith.

Smith bowls occasional off- breaks, which showed how bare the Surrey cupboard looked in the absence of Stewart, Thorpe and Benjamin on Test duty. Only Alistair Brown made runs with a mixture of caution and belligerence.

Cardigan Connor loosened up the opposition by removing Darren Bicknell and David Ward with successive deliveries in his second over. Mark Butcher became his third victim and Connor concluded on 3 for 26 from 11 overs.

Shaun Udal's off-spin was introduced as early as the 16th over, which coincided with a ball change. In his second over, he had Adam Hollioake leg before pushing forwards. Udal said there was a bit of bounce and turn and, at 6ft 2in, Monte Lynch, Smith, Graham Kersey and, ultimately, Brown would agree that he exploited it.

And while Tony Middleton was undone by Cameron Cuffy for a duck, Terry, backed up by a career best for his county from Giles White, took Hampshire into the lead without any further alarm.