County Championship: Burke and Curran put Surrey in charge

James Burke and Tom Curran grabbed four wickets each as Surrey established a strong position against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

The home side resumed on 35-0, but Burke removed two of the top three in his 4-19 from six overs to trigger a collapse from 100-0 to 190 all out.

Curran, who hit his maiden first-class fifty on day one, took four of the last six wickets, which fell for 23 runs.

Surrey then reached the close on 217-6, giving them a 288-run lead.

Leicestershire looked well set to build a first-innings lead as 68 from 83 balls by Sam Robson helped them make a good start to their innings.

But Championship debutant Burke made the breakthrough by having Matthew Boyce caught behind for 27 and then bowled Robson, a double blow from which Leicestershire never recovered.

In reply Surrey lost wickets at regular intervals, but, Ben Foakes (46) and Gary Wilson (42) brought much-needed calm in the middle order to push their lead towards 300 with four wickets remaining.

Surrey seam bowler James Burke told BBC London 94.9:

"It's been a long wait to get an opportunity to play a Championship game and I couldn't really have asked for any more than a wicket with my first ball.

"It got my confidence up, allowed me to bowl with my natural ability and settled the nerves a little bit.

"I had good backing from the captain, who allowed me just to be a strike bowler, which is what I like to do.

"I like to try and take wickets and make things happen."