da betano casino： Duo notch up Hampshire’s highest second-wicket stand against Surrey
da dobrowin： ECB Reporters Network25-May-2024Toby Albert grabbed his chance to score a maiden Vitality County Championship century and Nick Gubbins plundered his first as a father as Hampshire took complete control over Surrey.Homegrown batter Albert took advantage of Ali Orr’s back problems to grind out a ton on his sixth first-class appearance as he and Gubbins knocked up Hampshire’s highest second-wicket stand against Surrey.After the 201-run partnership had ended, Gubbins raised his bat on his second century of the campaign in his first innings since daughter Ottilie was born two weeks ago.James Vince, Ben Brown and Liam Dawson also grabbed half-centuries as Hampshire piled on 495 for 4 to boast a huge 368-run lead over the champions.Albert had ended last season opening the batting with Fletcha Middleton, but his unsteady performances saw him lose his place when Orr was signed from Sussex in the winter.A couple of multi-day fifties had kept the pressure on Orr and Middleton, but the incumbents’ centuries meant there was no place for Albert.He had begun last week pumping the Royal Air Force for an outrageous 86 off 31 balls before taking apart Sussex’s Second XI with 51 off 33 balls, as he prepared for the Vitality Blast.But back spasms for Orr meant he was given a fresh chance in the Championship side, and gave head coach Adi Birrell a massive future selection headache.Albert, the son of two Olympic equestrians, had ground out 34 in 139 balls on the first evening to make sure Hampshire didn’t follow Surrey’s 127 collapse – during which he and Middleton scored Hampshire’s first fifty opening stand of the season. He and Gubbins trotted through into a lead within half an hour on a more proactive second morning, with their fifties coming in 173 and 109 deliveries.Albert was completely chanceless in his century, which came in 280 deliveries, despite a strong Surrey attack bowling accurately, but ineffectually. He top-edged to fine-leg on 114 to end his impressive innings and a record alliance against Surrey – beating the 180 Roy Marshall and Henry Horton put on at the Oval in 1961.Gubbins had started his season in good form, with 50, 69 not out, 119 and 45 the shining lights in his six innings. But he had missed the second innings versus Durham and the victory over Nottinghamshire when on paternity leave.Ottilie got her first taste of Utilita Bowl on the first evening, as she posed with a padded-up Gubbins at the end of the day – which was posted on his Instagram Story with the caption “introducing Ottie to the bowl.”Her late-night feeds haven’t impacted Gubbins’ batting, with the left-hander as assured as ever for his 18th first-class century.Once that milestone was hit the target for Hampshire was bonus points, which Vince’s aggressive approach was perfect for. He secured a second batting point with 40 in 37 balls, before heading to fifty in 49, as Hampshire cantered.Ben Foakes remained off the field due to back spasms throughout the day, with Jamie Smith taking the gloves. And he ended Vince’s onslaught on 52 when the home skipper was strangled down the leg side by Dan Worrall, with Gubbins previously well caught at gully off the Australian-born quick.Brown and Dawson reached their half-centuries at a gallop during an unbroken 157-run partnership – with the former unbeaten on 99 overnight.
