Afzaal keeps Northants in touch

Usman Afzaal

An unbeaten century from Usman Afzaal clawed Northamptonshire back into contention on the second day of their Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division Two clash with Surrey at Wantage Road.

Afzaal's defiant 136 not out brought the hosts to within touching distance of Surrey's first-innings 328 to leave the match hanging on a knife edge by the time the Brown Caps began their second innings.

The former England batsman hung around for 255 balls but received precious little support from his team-mates - Riki Wessels was second top scorer with 34 as the hosts chalked up 300 all out on their way to a third batting bonus point.

With their second crack of the whip, Surrey then reached 75 for one to extend their lead to 103 - with Scott Newman the only casualty after losing his middle and leg stumps to Australian paceman Matt Nicholson.

Jonathan Batty and Mark Ramprakash will resume in the morning after suffering few scares in the final overs of the day.

Afzaal's 136 was the highest individual score Division Two leaders Surrey have conceded this season - but nightwatchman Charl Pietersen was first to catch the eye after the hosts resumed on 61 for three.

The South African plundered two early fours before thin-edging Mohammad Akram to wicketkeeper Batty in the fourth over of the morning.

Skipper David Sales then helped himself to four quickfire boundaries - with Afzaal driving Neil Saker through the covers to bring up his half-century at the other end.

Things took a turn for the worse for the hosts when Saker trapped Sales leg before for 23 to leave Northants deep in trouble on 124 for five.

But the visitors were forced to go in for lunch with only the wickets of Pietersen and Sales to show for their efforts after umpires Barry Duddleston and John Steele turned down a succession of appeals.

Ian Salisbury trapped South African showman Lance Klusener leg before for 32 to leave the home side teetering on 175 for six only to see Afzaal cut loose alongside Wessels.

The left-hander cut Akram through third man to bring up his second consecutive County Championship century off 189 balls.

Wessels departed when he was caught close to the wicket by skipper Mark Butcher off Rikki Clarke’s fifth ball of the day - with Salisbury then baffling Ben Phillips with some prodigious turn.

Salisbury then trapped Nicholson before Akram dismissed Jason Brown to end Northants’ resistance with the 400th wicket of his career.