Sussex 435 (132.2 overs)
Surrey 390-3 (86 overs)
Surrey trail Sussex by 45 runs with seven first innings wickets remaining
Dan Lawrence and Ollie Pope both made attacking hundreds before bad light halted Surrey’s rapid progress on day three against Sussex at Hove.
When the players came off 10 minutes after tea, Surrey were 390-3, only 45 runs behind with Lawrence unbeaten on 117 after Pope had made his first Championship century for two years.
The loss of 36 overs could be crucial to Surrey’s hopes of making it an awkward final day for Sussex by going past their first innings total of 435.
After Pope scored 102, Lawrence made the most of a reprieve on 35, when he was badly dropped by sub fielder George Thomas.
He hit six sixes in his first hundred of the season, off 92 balls, including two in an over when Ollie Robinson opted to bowl short to a packed leg side field.
Sussex should still be able to save the game on a surface which has offered little assistance for seam or spin.
But after drawing and winning their first two games since promotion, this was a reminder that Division One cricket represents a big step up.
Curiously, it was Pope’s first County Championship century away from The Oval since his maiden effort at Southampton eight years ago.
The 27-year-old had a lean time in the competition between England matches last season when his top score in 10 innings was 63. But he made 65 against Hampshire last week and carried on here in ideal batting conditions.
He ruthlessly punished any indiscretions in length and scored on both sides of the wicket. There were 11 boundaries and he also lofted James Coles’s left-arm spin over mid-wicket – although Jayden Seales running around the boundary nearly took what would have been a stunning catch.
Pope’s 22nd first-class century was his first in the Championship for more than two years but, frustratingly, he was dismissed two balls after getting there when he gloved a short ball from the persevering Seales, who was the pick of Sussex’s attack.
During the morning session Pope and Dom Sibley took their second-wicket stand to 179 in 42 overs. Sibley was cruising towards his third successive hundred when he chipped up a tame return catch to Coles.
He had earlier hit the slow left-armer over long-off for six and 10 boundaries. Both batters will have departed feeling they had left runs out there.
Lawrence was soon into his stride, although Thomas will have nightmares about the straightforward catch he dropped at backward square leg off a disconsolate Robinson.
The 27-year-old certainly made the most of his reprieve. Five of his sixes were hit into the leg side but the other, a sumptuous straight drive off Coles, was probably the best of them.
At the other end Ben Foakes was happy to play a supporting role although he did swing Coles over the boundary on one knee.
Lawrence reached his 18th first-class hundred with a somewhat streaky thick edge over the slips off Robinson for his eighth boundary as Surrey scored 162 between lunch and tea in 29 overs.
But just two more were possible in the evening session – and with Danny Lamb out of the attack after injuring his shoulder yesterday – Sussex were probably glad of the opportunity to regroup and come back tomorrow with a new ball only six overs old.
Ollie Pope said: “It’s been a really good day. It’s frustrating to lose some play to bad light but we’ll see what tomorrow has in store.
“It’s a good pitch and quick outfield and the way Sibbers (Dom Sibley) played earlier and the way Dan (Lawrence) has played has put Sussex under some serious pressure and ourselves in a good position.
“I felt good in the second innings against Hampshire last week so to get to three figures is a good feeling.
“It feels like I have reaped the rewards for the work I’ve put in and hopefully it’s set me up for a good summer.
“The tempo of Dan’s innings was really good. He played the situation perfectly and played some amazing shots. It was high class.”
Sussex coach Paul Farbrace said: “Losing those overs this evening has been a bonus for us. Surrey are a top-quality batting side but we have to be honest and say we didn’t do particularly well today.
“After lunch we looked a bit lost in the field, searching for wickets rather than sticking to decent plans, and conceded boundaries on both sides which is quite frustrating.
“We also dropped catches. We know Division One is tough and for 10 days of the campaign we have been really good but today was a bit of a lesson for us.”
