Kapil's maiden ton defies New Zealand A

New Zealand A 211 (de Grandhomme 81, Dunn 4-54, Dernbach 3-37) and 136-6 (Watling 55*) drew with Surrey 101 (Henry 5-18) and 364 (Kapil 104*, Burns 94)
Scorecard

Aneesh Kapil struck his maiden first-class hundred for Surrey as the final day against New Zealand A at The Oval ended in a draw.

It was an unexpectedly frustrating finale for New Zealand A as Kapil made an unbeaten 104 to give Surrey a lead of 254 and then Surrey took the first six wickets for 81 in the evening session before B.J. Watling held out for a draw.

It was a disappointing end to a successful New Zealand A tour that was disrupted badly by the weather. Four of their 13 games were washed out and three more decided by the Duckworth Lewis system. But their record was excellent nevertheless with only one defeat - against Sri Lanka in a tri-series, also involving England Lions, that they eventually won.

Surrey began the morning on their overnight 72 for 3, still 38 behind, but Surrey moved into the lead with Rory Burns and Arun Harinath still together, with Harinath greeting the introduction of Todd Astle with consecutive straight sixes into the OCS stand. When Harinath was bowled, trying to work the leg spinner Todd Astle through the leg side, the partnership was worth 97.

Burns was undefeated on 94, with Kapil, 33, already batting with adventure but Burns fell immediately after the interval when he was trapped lbw by Astle. Kapil hooked Hamish Bennett for six and moved to his maiden first-class fifty for Surrey from his 66th delivery.

Jade Dernbach gave Kapil invaluable support with eight wickets down and Jason Roy absent hurt. But Dernbach did not just block as Kapil neared his hundred, striking Astle for a couple of enormous sixes. Finally, Kapil pulled Scott Kuggeleiijn for four to bring up his hundred from 133 balls with Dernbach dismissed soon after.

The target for the tourists was 255 from a minimum of 41 overs but Dunn quickly struck twice, including bowling Hamish Rutherford without scoring. Dernbach followed up with two wickets in two balls, Tom Latham caught by Vikram Solanki at slip for 17 and a slower ball follow-up to trap Colin de Grandhomme lbw for noug to leave New Zealand A 27 for four.

When the sixth wicket fell, a surprise Surrey win was in the offing, but Watling ensured a draw with a much-needed half-century.