20-05-2025
Surrey beat Yorkshire as record crowd watches at The Kia Oval
Surrey propelled themselves to within three points of the top spot in the Rothesay County Championship Division One after beating Yorkshire by an innings and 28 runs.
The team needed just over an hour on the final day to secure their second win of the season, positioning themselves closely behind leaders Nottinghamshire.
This triumph comes after a challenging match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, where Surrey conceded 665-5 and were forced to follow on in their fourth draw out of five.
Record-breaking crowd watches Surrey defeat Yorkshire at the Kia Oval (Image: Getty Images for Surrey CCC) However, back on home turf at the Kia Oval, Surrey clinched their 18th win out of the last 24 matches.
Surrey will aim to maintain this momentum against Essex this bank holiday weekend in the Festival of Red Ball Cricket, starting on Friday.
Even without key seamer Dan Worrall, who is sidelined with a foot injury, Surrey's fast bowlers proved too formidable for Yorkshire after Rory Burns won the toss.
Only opener Adam Lyth (55) and Jonny Bairstow (89) managed to resist for long, as Yorkshire were bowled out on the opening day for 255.
Tom Lawes and Jordan Clark each claimed three wickets, with Lawes benefiting from a spectacular catch by Ben Foakes, who removed Jonny Tattersall.
Yorkshire's seam attack also found some assistance from the well-grassed pitch.
However, a classy 85 from debutant Kurtis Patterson and a solid 86 from Foakes, following his unbeaten 174 at Edgbaston, blunted their efforts.
George Hill, the standout performer in Yorkshire's attack, claimed 5-66 from 28 overs, but Surrey's lower order put the hosts out of sight.
Clark's 69 and Lawes' aggressive 37 guided Surrey to 512 all out.
Facing a massive deficit, Yorkshire threatened to crumble at 83-3.
James Wharton's 67 and another Bairstow salvo put on 84 for the fourth wicket.
However, once they were split by former colleague Matt Fisher, it was Bairstow or bust.
He had hit 10 fours and two sixes in his 77 when Ryan Patel's medium pace uprooted his off-stump, and the visitors were all out soon after for 228.
Lawes took his tally for the match to six, and Clark seven, in a fine all-round display.
The victory was not the only cause for celebration for Surrey.
A 21st-century record crowd of 14,853 at the Kia Oval witnessed the match, beating the 13,706 set in last year's Red Ball Festival.
They hope to improve upon that again this weekend.
Chief executive Steve Elworthy said: "We've been blown away by the support we've had this year and can't wait to welcome thousands more this weekend."
Tickets are available via
Almost 38,000 spectators have witnessed the three Championship matches so far.
Tickets have been reduced to £15 for adults and £1 for juniors.
Among the activities being laid on are free coaching sessions for under-16s.
