Rain proves to be a pain for Essex at the Oval

SAM Curran added 77 to a first innings 70, in his first red-ball appearance since last September, as Surrey saw out a rain-hit final day on 289 for seven to secure a draw against Essex at the Kia Oval.

- By MIKE BALDWIN

Curran’s 121-ball effort held Surrey’s batting together as seamer Jamie Porter and off-spinner Simon Harmer threatened to bowl Essex to a second Rothesay County Championship win of the season.

Six separate rain interruptions during the day - all of them short, but lopping 20 overs in all from the final day’s allocation - did not help Essex’s cause. In the end, a 51-run stand between Jamie Overton and Jordan Clark proved decisive.

Overton stayed just over two hours for his 47 from 102 balls, edging Porter to third slip just before 6pm from what became the last ball of the game. Clark finished 23 not out.

Porter finished with five for 88 from 27 overs and Harmer two for 94 from 34 with Essex taking 11 points from the draw and Surrey, who stay second in the Division One table, picked up 12.

After the fifth rain delay Essex thought they had 14 overs - including seven with a second new ball - in which to take the last four Surrey wickets, but after eight balls yet another heavy shower ultimately reduced that equation by four more overs.