Kemar Roach bids farewell in the perfect fashion at The Oval

SAM DALLING AT THE KIA OVAL: Any bowler pulling back the curtains though may have thought it was Christmas. Conditions were as close as they get to perfection for county seamers: a touch of violet in the clouds and a little grass on the wicket

Scorecard

A scorecard does not tell you everything. In fact, sometimes it is positively misleading. Glance at Middlesex’s first-innings 160 at the Oval and you’d be forgiven for thinking Jordan Clark was the standout Surrey bowler. 

And mathematically that is true, his four-wicket haul was matched by Kemar Roach but the Cumbrian (4 for 41) undercut the West Indian (4 for 61) by 20 runs. But scratch a little deeper and it becomes clear it was the Bajan who guided his team to a 30-run first-innings lead in unfamiliar climes. 

According to the Met Office it was largely cloudy in Barbados today, much like Vauxhall at 11am. 

Any bowler pulling back the curtains though may have thought it was Christmas. Conditions were as close as they get to perfection for county seamers: a touch of violet in the clouds, a little grass on the wicket and the floodlights beaming almost as brightly as Roach’s smile.  

Much of his career has played out at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, but it was here at that famous stadium’s Kennington namesake that he put on a masterclass. His stint at Surrey is short: this the fifth and final game. If it ends up being the only chance the members present get to witness him in the flesh, they will retain fond memories.  

When Surrey signed the 63-Test veteran there were a few who questioned his stay's necessity. His quality was never doubted but with the world as it is, finances strained and a deep bowl of existing seamers, some queried the logic. Roach though has made quite an impression, and now 17 wickets at 21.51, including a 10-wicket match haul and career-best 8 for 40 in a victory over Hampshire.  

On Saturday he was simply magnificent. Yes, he conceded runs but there is mitigation. He has the pace to bowl back of a length but assessed the situation and bowled full, offering scoring opportunities that he knew would bring chances.  

Almost every ball of his seven-over opening burst was testing, and it was not long before exposed all too familiar frailties in the Middlesex top order.  First, Jack Davies (1) nicked behind to Ben Foakes when, really, he should have left well alone. Three balls and one run later, Sam Robson gave England’s wicketkeeper another chance to warm the gloves. It was a shame as the opener had looked in good touch until then, a pair of early boundaries racing through the covers off Reece Topley.  

Attention diverted briefly to Topley, who trapped Nick Gubbins lbw with a ball that straightened and struck the pads. Then the spotlight returned to Roach for some overseas-on-overseas action. In truth it was an unfair contest, Roach purring while Peter Handscomb had just 55 runs in seven knocks. At some point the Australian’s miserable run will come to an end but it was not here. Only a dementor would fail to feel some sympathy. 

There was little he could do though, receiving an unplayable delivery having made just five. As he has done so effectively throughout his glittering career, Roach used the full breadth of the crease, the ball starting wide, pitching on off-stump and holding its line to remove the bails.  

At that point the Seaxes were flailing at 27 for 4, their top four having provided less resistance than paper does to flame. Robbie White and John Simpson steadied things, and to their credit continued to play positively. Forty-four of their side’s first 55 runs from the bat came in boundaries, eight of them between mid-on and cover. 

It would have been easy for them to be timid, but Simpson in particular was in fine touch.  A left-hander who stands tall and completes a micro-shuffle toward off stump as the bowler reaches the crease, he demonstrated his balance with some beautiful checked drives down the ground.

The duo had moved the score serenely on to 60, and Rory Burns was concerned enough to call for Roach again after just a few overs’ rest. But it was Clark who struck, a rank full toss missed by White who fell leg-before.  

His replacement Martin Andersson started shakily – his first two scoring shots edges that flew past gully – but quickly found his feet. Before long he was taking the game to a bemused Roach.  The smile never wavered, though, even when he twice advanced down the track to punch him to the rope between cover and point. It was the first time the West Indian had dropped short, perhaps a touch of tiredness showing. 

Andersson’s first ball after lunch was driven past a flailing Hashim Amla at mid-off, but in what is set to be the year of the veteran, Rikki Clarke took a superb catch high and to his right at second slip off Topley. Andersson had made a breezy 26.  

A rare break in the clouds and all of a sudden batting looked that bit easier. Simpson continued to impress, particularly merciless when Clark – with or without an 'E' – bowled short. His 40th first-class half-century was reached from just 76 balls.  

Time for more Kemar, whose third spell ended Cullen’s 46-ball resistance. There was to be no farewell five-for for Roach but he has proved a worth signing, both on and off the field, a decade on from his only previous County Championship spell with Worcestershire.  

Tom Helm took a nasty looking blow to the side of the head ducking into, and turning away from, a short ball from Clark. He resumed but drove a cleverly pitched delivery straight at Amla later in the over. Simpson had made a season’s best 68 before guiding Clark to Ollie Pope at gully while attempting to Shepherd the tail. Tim Murtagh typically swung hard and gave Clark his fourth by connecting with a slower ball that went more upward than outward.  

It gave Surrey a 30-run lead, and with both sides needing a result to retain any hope of qualifying for Division One, quick runs were in order. Rory Burns was dropped before scoring and then the rain came. A false start and then, in the game's best conditions, the hosts got going.  

Burns and Mark Stoneman enjoy batting together, putting on their 11th hundred opening stand in red-ball cricket. Stoneman was the aggressor finishing unbeaten on 74 with 13 boundaries. It was his second-half century of the match.  His partner also reached 50 for the seventh time this summer, passing 500 runs for the season in the process. Curiously all batting milestones in the game have been reached by left-handers. 

At close Surrey had stretched the lead to 135. Few batters enjoy decent sleep when unbeaten overnight but Burns' rest will doubtless involve some additional tossing and turning over the timing of his declaration.  It is perhaps better too soon than too late.