Ek zabardast performance mein, 20 saal ke Charlie Allison ne apna pehla first-class century banaya aur County Championship Division One match mein Essex ko strong position mein daal diya. Match Kia Oval pe ho raha hai, aur yeh 2025 Festival of Red Ball Cricket ka hissa hai. Ab Surrey ko chauthi din match bachaane ke liye kaafi mehnat karni padegi.
Allison, jo right-handed batsman hai aur bachpan se hi Essex academy ka hissa raha hai, ne bat se kamaal dikhaya. Pitch pe thodi help bowlers ko bhi mil rahi thi, lekin usne patience ke saath strokeplay ka combo dikhake Essex ki innings ko sambhala. Uska century match ka turning point ban gaya.
Surrey, jiska lead kar rahe hai Rory Burns, defending champions hai. Lekin Essex, jiska naya director of cricket Chris Silverwood wapas aaya hai, poori taiyaari ke saath aayi thi. Pehle din Paul Walter (95), Jordan Cox (117) aur Matt Critchley ne strong base diya. Michael Pepper ne bhi acche run banaye. Essex ne 582-6 pe declare kiya. Surrey ke bowlers, jo Gus Atkinson aur Dan Worrall ke bina khel rahe the, struggle karte dikhe. Sirf Kemar Roach thoda effective tha, usne 2 wickets liye.
Surrey ki pehli innings 365 pe khatam hui, jisme sirf Ben Foakes (92 not out) ne fight dikhayi. Essex ne follow-on enforce kiya aur fir Allison ka magic dekhne mila. Second innings mein uska century ne match ka pura momentum badal diya. Ab Surrey ko ya to 400+ ka target chase karna hai ya pura din khelke draw lana hai.
Allison ne apni innings dheere-dheere build ki. Pehle cautious tha, fir jab set ho gaya toh cover drives aur late cuts dikhaye. Uska temperament dekhke lagta hai ki woh England ke future plans mein zaroor aayega. Dan Worrall aur Jordan Clark jaise experienced bowlers ko usne confidently khela.
Dean Elgar ke saath uski partnership bhi important thi. Elgar ne apna experience dikhaya aur Allison ne energy. Dono ne milke Surrey ko thaka diya. Day 3 ke end tak Essex ne itna bada lead bana diya ki Surrey ke liye jeetna mushkil hi nahi, naamumkin lag raha hai.
Ab Surrey ki umeed hai Dom Sibley aur Ben Foakes pe. Sibley ne pehle innings mein 4 ghante batting ki thi aur Foakes bhi form mein lag raha hai. Lekin Essex ke bowlers – Jamie Porter, Simon Harmer aur Shane Snater – ready hai attack karne ke liye. Harmer ka spin chauthi din pitch pe dangerous ho sakta hai.
Allison ki yeh performance sirf match jeetne ka mauka nahi de rahi Essex ko, balki uski apni cricket journey ka ek bada moment ban gayi hai. Colchester mein paida hua Allison 9 saal ki umar se Essex academy ka hissa raha hai. 2012 mein uska ek viral video Essex ke legend Graham Napier ne bhi appreciate kiya tha. 2023 mein usne rookie contract sign kiya aur List-A cricket mein bhi half-century banayi thi. Lekin yeh first-class century uski asli pehchaan ban gayi hai.
Aakhri din Kia Oval pe 14,853 log maujood honge – yeh 21st century ka record attendance hai County match ke liye. Sabki nazar Surrey ke fightback pe hai, lekin Charlie Allison ka naam already is match ka hero ban chuka hai.
