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Ian Holland to the fore before Laurie Evans digs in for Surrey

Laurie Evans works into the leg side Getty Images

Surrey 79 for 5 (Holland 4-22) v Hampshire

Ian Holland belied Hampshire's fast bowling injury woes to take four wickets in 22 as Surrey slumped to 36 for 5 in their Bob Willis Trophy clash at Arundel.

USA international Holland ripped through the Surrey top order along with new-ball partner Brad Wheal - with Kyle Abbott, Fidel Edwards, Keith Barker, Ryan Stevenson and Ajeet Dale all unavailable for Hampshire. Laurie Evans and Jamie Smith set about a recovery for equally depleted Surrey, and their stand was unbeaten on 43 as the visitors reached 79 for 5 before rain and bad light brought an early close to play.

Surrey skipper Mark Stoneman won the toss and elected to bat first after no play was possible during the morning session, due to misty-rain and bad light. That decision almost immediately looked incorrect as Holland began to roll through Surrey.

Stoneman did manage to stroke 12 off the opening over of the innings, with Wheal looking rusty during his first first-class bowl for 825 days.

Medium-pacer Holland has usually been utilised as a fifth seamer during his three years at Hampshire. But with Abbott and Edwards stuck abroad, and Barker, Stevenson and Dale all injured, Holland claimed the new ball and excelled.

He needed just five balls to bowl Ryan Patel, who blocked the ball only for it to slowly rotate back and dislodge his off bail. In his next over, the Australia-bred Holland found Scott Borthwick's outside edge to nick behind for a duck.

Scotland international Wheal then put his injury problems behind him to have Will Jacks lbw - Wheal's 10 overs in the session returning 1 for 29 - before Stoneman was leg before to Holland for 21.

Winless Surrey have also fallen foul of availability issues, with 14 players missing for their defeat to Essex last week. They welcomed back former South Africa international Morne Morkel - who flew in from Australia - with Matt Dunn and Jason Roy also returning to the side.

Roy, who missed the opening two rounds due to his involvement with England's white-ball side, was the fifth man to depart on his first first-class appearance since last summer's Ashes - and first for Surrey for almost two years. Roy offered no shot to Holland's in-ducker - which was adjudged to be hitting the off stump - handing the allrounder his 50th first-class scalp.

Evans and Smith's methods of rebuilding juxtaposed each other. Evans, on loan from Sussex, thrashed James Fuller for four successive boundaries, while wicketkeeper Smith score 1 from his first 35 balls.

Smith had accelerated, relatively, to 3 from 48 deliveries and Evans reached an accomplished 39 before an early tea was taken due to bad light - and with the light failing to improve and rain falling, that also ended the day's play.

Surrey 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st5MD StonemanRS Patel
2nd5MD StonemanSG Borthwick
3rd5SG BorthwickWG Jacks
4th12JJ RoySG Borthwick
5th12JJ RoyJL Smith
6th12LJ EvansJL Smith
7th0AAP AtkinsonJL Smith
8th0M MorkelJL Smith
9th13MP DunnJL Smith
10th10A VirdiJL Smith