Hampshire struggling to avoid another heavy Oval loss as Jordan Clark puts Surrey in strong LV= County Championship position

The 31-year-old seamer took career-best figures of 6-21 in their innings victory against Hampshire last year and he struck with his first ball when they replied to Surrey’s 467, writes BRUCE TALBOT.

A yorker-length delivery proved too much for Joe Weatherley and Clark followed it up after tea when he removed the obdurate opener Ian Holland for 23.

With Jamie Overton and off-spinner Will Jacks, who earlier made a rapid 72, also picking up two wickets, Hampshire were reduced to 152-7 when bad light ended play with 6.2 overs to be bowled.

It is going to take a big effort from Hampshire if they are to avoid a repeat of the heavy defeat they suffered at the Oval a year ago, but Surrey will be without their spearhead Kemar Roach for the rest of the game.

The West Indian produced a brilliant delivery which angled in and straightened to remove James Vince for one after switching to the Vauxhall End.

But he pulled up clutching his hamstring after bowling two balls of his sixth over and needed a stretcher to get back to the changing room.

Roach, 33, will have a scan on Saturday but his five-game spell early-season spell looks to be over.

Despite the early loss of Weatherley, Hampshire had 43 on the board in the sixth over when Overton took over from Roach and struck with his third ball, which was caught by Ben Foakes diving in front of first slip to remove Nick Gubbins.

Only three runs had been added after Vince’s dismissal when Liam Dawson was bowled by a fine ball from Overton which angled in and straightened, leaving Hampshire 52-4.

Holland and Ben Brown took the score to 83 when Holland played across a straight one from Clark, who should have been celebrating again but Rory Burns shelled a straightforward chance at slip to reprieve Felix Organ off the next delivery.

Brown played some of his trademark leg-side pull shots in an attractive 49 but Jacks bowled him through the gate and had Organ taken at short leg in his next over as Surrey, watched by a crowd of more than 4,000, ended the day in control.

Earlier, Ollie Pope made 127 and Jacks produced a blistering cameo before Surrey were dismissed for 467 in mid-afternoon.

After taking only three wickets on the first day, Hampshire bowled much better with Keith Barker taking 4-80 and the impressive Kyle Abbott 3-82.

Pope had added 14 to his overnight score when he drove at Barker in his second over and was caught at second slip. He faced 215 balls and hit 12 fours and a six.

Abbott picked up his first wicket when Foakes, who helped Pope put on 107 for the fourth wicket, played on. He also removed Clark, who lost his middle stump, and Overton in successive overs.

The arrival of last man James Taylor with the score on 419 was the signal for Jacks to go on the attack. He struck four sixes, all off James Fuller, and six boundaries in his 72 off 86 balls before Barker trapped him in front as he swung across the line.

The last wicket pair had added 48 in eight overs but Hampshire’s struggles were only just beginning.