Yorkshire County Cricket by David Warner

Surrey openers Mark Butcher and Ian Ward took advantage of some sloppy Yorkshire bowling for the championship leaders at Headingley today until Gavin Hamilton struck three times to leave the visitors in trouble.

Four wickets went down for 18 runs after openers Butcher and Ian Ward put on 80.

Surrey were 17 at the start of the third day which began in extremely murky light and Ward took a single off Chris Silverwood's first ball. It proved to be an expensive over because Butcher, who scored a century on the ground for England in the Test match, then helped himself to a couple of boundaries with firm shots through mid-wicket and mid-on.

Left-arm swing merchant Paul Hutchison bowled from the football end with greater accuracy than Silverwood but both batsmen played and missed several times as they took risks in the murky light.

Butcher knew little about his edge to the third man boundary off Hutchison who also beat him outside off-stump but too many deliveries were being sent down which did not require a stroke.

The green pitch had made batting difficult for Yorkshire when they struggled to 250 for nine declared but it was probably even more demanding today because there seemed to be extra variable bounce.

Silverwood's poor spell came to an end at 44 when he was replaced by Hamilton, who produced some excellent deliveries but also lacked control and was square driven for four by Ward.

Then Hoggard was introduced into the attack to try to bring Yorkshire the wicket they so badly needed, but it turned out to be Hamilton who split the partnership by trapping Butcher on the drive for 40.

Butcher's dismissal signalled the start of four wickets going down for 18 runs because Ward was also pinned in front of his stumps by Hoggard and Nadeem Shahid cut at Hamilton and was caught at first slip by Craig White.

Surrey got into even deeper trouble as Hamilton picked up his third wicket when Blakey dived low to his right to take an edge from Ally Brown. Surrey were then 98-4 and trailing by 152.

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