ESSEX EAGLES V SURREY LIONS at Chelmsford (TSL1), 25 AUGUST 2004

Sixth plays eighth and with the season drawing to a close whoever ends up losing tomorrow night can virtually kiss their chances of staying in Division One of the totesport League goodbye. With the weather threatening to play its part as well, everybody connected with Essex and Surrey must be on something of a knife-edge since two points apiece would not really be to anyone's advantage.

This summer the Eagles' stronger suit in the short game has been with the ball. Put it in the hands of Darren Gough, Graham Napier (27 List A wickets at 16.55 runs apiece this term) plus the spinners Danish Kaneria and James Middlebrook and runs rarely come at more than four and a half an over. Will Jefferson (571 List A runs at an average of 40.78) and Andy Flower have been the engine room of Essex's batting, while the long handle stuff has been supplied of late by skipper Ronnie Irani, Andre Adams and, on occasions, by Napier before the likes of Grayson and Middlebrook nudge and nurdle the Eagles to a respectable total.

Alistair Brown needs 35 more to reach 6,000 one-day career runs and Martin Bicknell, with 397, is bearing down on his 400th career List A wicket.

But for Ramprakash and Ormond, Surrey would have looked a very ordinary side this summer. And who's missing tomorrow night? Ramprakash and Ormond. With Essex enjoying wins in their last three TSL fixtures, it all adds up to further totesport misery for the Ovalites.

Despite them needing nothing less than victory, Surrey are thought likely to rest Jimmy Ormond again. With returning Test stars Butcher and Thorpe sidelined by injury, things are not helped in the batting department by the stiff neck which has striken Mark Ramprakash. Azhar Mahmood and Martin Bicknell return to the one-day fold, though.

W Jefferson, R Irani (capt), A Flower, A Adams, G Napier, R Bopara, P Grayson, J Middlebrook, J Foster (wk), D Gough and Danish Kaneria.

7 Jul 2004	T20	No Result	Chelmsford
23 May 2004	NL	Won By 31 Runs	The Oval
14 Jun 2003	T20	Won By 44 Runs	Imber Court
8 Jun 2003	NL	Won By 3 Wickets	The Oval
27 Apr 2003	NL	Won By 15 Runs	Chelmsford
8 Sep 2002	NL	Won By 2 Runs	Chelmsford
28 Jul 2002	NL	Won By 73 Runs	Guildford
2 May 2002	B&H	Lost By 4 Wickets	Chelmsford
5 May 2001	B&H	Won By 6 Wickets	The Oval
23 Aug 2000	NL	Lost By 23 Runs	Colchester
29 May 2000	NL	No Result	The Oval
15 Apr 2000	B&H	No Result	Chelmsford
14 Jun 1998	NL	Lost By 26 Runs	Chelmsford
8 Jun 1997	NL	Lost By 6 Wickets	The Oval
27 May 1997	B&H	Won By 6 Wickets	Chelmsford
13 Aug 1996	NWT	Lost By 4 Wickets	The Oval
30 Jun 1996	NL	Lost By 27 Runs	Southend
9 Jul 1995	NL	Lost By 61 Runs	The Oval
14 Aug 1994	NL	Won By 6 Wickets	Colchester
16 May 1993	NL	Won By 2 Wickets	The Oval
26 Apr 1992	NL	Lost By 10 Wickets	Chelmsford
31 Jul 1991	NWT	Won By 31 Runs	The Oval
26 May 1991	NL	Won By 7 Wickets	The Oval
23 Apr 1991	B&H	Lost By 53 Runs	The Oval
19 Aug 1990	NL	No Result	Chelmsford

GO TO:



BACK TO: