Watch: Mohammad Abbas took his second six-for of the season to keep Hampshire fighting in a crucial County Championship showdown against Surrey.

Fresh off nine wickets in Hampshire’s opening round victory against Nottinghamshire, Mohammad Abbas once again displayed his qualities as he claimed 6 for 64 against reigning champions Surrey including the wickets of England Test players Rory Burns, Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope.

Abbas has had an eventful start to the season, making headlines both off the pitch and on, after it was revealed on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast that he had won out over Pep Guardiola in an unlikely battle for the penthouse suite at the hotel based at the Ageas Bowl.

And Surrey followed in Pep’s footsteps, unable to overcome what was a disciplined and impressive display of bowling. First, he removed Sibley, inducing an edge which was caught at second slip by Liam Dawson, and then he saw off Surrey captain Burns with a fantastic delivery that swung in and nipped away.

A quiet period followed, but once Abbas got the second new ball in his hand he was unstoppable. Pope chopped on for an excellent 91, before Abbas would strike again with his very next delivery as he trapped Tom Lawes lbw. Kemar Roach was Abbas’ fifth wicket of the innings as he was struck plumb in front, whilst Dan Worrall was his final victim, clean bowled as he swung for the hills.

Hampshire had made 254, and restricted the lead to 270 largely thanks to Abbas.

Abbas passed 100 Championship wickets for Hampshire in the opening round against Nottinghamshire, with his average for the club well below 20 as he continues to be one of the star performers in domestic cricket. Overall, it is little wonder that the south coast club hold him in such high regard and why they sent even Guardiola down the hall when it came to the penthouse suite at the Ageas.

Watch: Abbas claims six-for against Surrey

Related tags:

Pakistan Mohammad AbbasCounty CricketSeries EditorialVideos