Murtagh strikes as Middlesex take charge
Close, day one: Surrey 144, Middlesex 99-1
Middlesex 3pts, Surrey 0pts,
In-form seamer Tim Murtagh took excellent figures of 5-37 as Middlesex got off to a blistering start at The Oval.
After a three-day defeat to Sussex last week, Middlesex responded admirably to bowl Surrey out for 144 from less than 50 overs.
Toby Roland-Jones also took a trio of wickets in an important early spell that had Surrey toiling at 41-5, with Neil Dexter taking a middle-order brace to make it 97-7.
Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers made a half-century at the top of the reply before he was dismissed by England one-day bowler Jade Dernbach, but Sam Robson and youngster Tom Smith remain overnight with the score 99-1.
Murtagh had a wicket as early as the third over when he edged Surrey opener Rory Burns (6) to Dawid Malan, and he and Roland-Jones dominated the opening proceedings.
Middlesex handed debuts to young wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Rossington and former Ireland Under-19s captain Andrew Balbirnie, and Rossington had his first catch as wicketkeeper when Roland-Jones edged Zafar Ansari (10) in the 10th over.
But the sides were straight off for a rain delay that forced early lunch to be taken with a 1.30pm restart.
Roland-Jones added former South African international Zander de Bruyn for a duck before dismissing Arun Harinath as well, after Murtagh had made sure Rory Hamilton-Brown was another mere cameo.
Jason Roy ensured Surrey made it past the 100-run mark with an unbeaten 55 from 76 balls after another rain delay mid-afternoon, and early tea was taken because of more light drizzle with Surrey 103-7.
The last three wickets were quickly taken and then the Middlesex openers made great use of the remaining 32 overs, with Rogers reaching 56 and Robson 29 not out.
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