GLOUCESTERSHIRE V SURREY at Bristol
(LVCC2), 2-5 SEPTEMBER 2009
A few weeks ago, following their ten-wicket victory at Southend-on-Sea,
Gloucestershire would have been everyone's favourites to gain promotion along with Kent.
But, since then, the Nevil Road outfit have lost to Leicestershire by 44 runs
and to Middlesex by 180 runs.
With 22-year-old opener Rob Woodman averaging just fourteen with the bat and
both Kadeer Ali and Hamish Marshall having indifferent seasons, one of the
Bristolians' main problems has been finding themselves two down for not very
many. No wonder they are being linked with Jonathan Batty regarding a move. The
middle order trio of Alex Gidman - 738 championship runs at an average of 38.84
- Steve Adshead and James Franklin are the main dangers with the bat. But former
skipper Chris Taylor found a little bit of form last week when he top scored in
Gloucestershire's first innings at Lord's.
With the ball, the key man is Steve Kirby, who has taken 53 wickets at 20.39
runs apiece in the Champo this year. Jon Lewis has also had a good summer, but
he did not take a wicket in the loss to Middlesex, which placed extra demands on
20-year-old Ian Saxleby and the steady Franklin. But, for whatever reason, slow
left-armer Vikram Banerjee has not featured in the championship since the middle
of July, despite averaging 30.05. His replacement, the former England
off-spinner Richard Dawson is averaging 78.50 runs per victim.
Rangana Herath and Arun Harinath are poised to make their Surrey debuts. Usman Afzaal goes into this contest with 99 catches in first-class cricket,
while Jonathan Batty has 495. With the bat, Afzaal needs 34 runs
for a thousand for the season and, career-wise, Stewart Walters has 958
first-class runs. Of the likely Gloucestershire line-up, Steve Adshead has 196
f-c dismissals.
The Brown Caps have drafted in Sri Lanka's 31-year-old slow left-armer Rangana
Herath, who looks likely to replace Pedro Collins; whose performances with the
ball at Canterbury made less of an impression than his efforts with the bat. With Mark Ramprakash out for the rest of the season with a fractured
right thumb, 22-year-old opener Arun Harinath will make his Surrey debut. It
means, of course, that Gloucestershire have been spared facing Ramprakash in the
championship this summer (he was suspended for the season's opener). Given that
his last four first-class innings against them have gone 192, 292, 75 and 51,
Gloucestershire must be overjoyed.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Kent |
28-31 Aug
2009 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Canterbury |
423 & 293 |
517 & 200-4 |
Essex |
19-22 Aug
2009 |
Lost By 9 Wickets |
Colchester |
428 & 190 |
545 & 74-1 |
Derbyshire |
6-9 Aug
2009 |
Match Drawn |
Whitgift Sch |
362 & 320-4d |
334 & 232-5 |
Leicestershire |
31 Jul - 3 Aug 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Brit Oval |
608-4d |
593-5d & 23-0 |
Essex |
15-18 Jul 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
352-8d |
401 & 201-3 |
Surrey have not won a championship game at Bristol since June 1992, when Mark
Butcher made his first-class debut and James Boiling's second innings 6-84 set
up a straight-forward chase for the visitors. The wet weather forecast for tomorrow
coupled with the fact that both sides are short of confidence at the moment
points to one thing - draw.
Kadeer Ali, W Porterfield, H Marshall, A Gidman (capt), C Taylor, J Franklin, S
Adshead (wk), R Dawson, I Saxleby, J Lewis and S Kirby.
Neil Bainton and Nigel Cowley. See also The
Dreaded Finger
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
GLOS |
15-18
Apr 2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Glos |
Bat |
160 &
64-2 |
333 |
6-9
Sep 2006 |
Match Drawn |
Bristol |
Surrey |
Field |
288 &
470-9 |
459 &
329-8d |
3-5
May 2006 |
Won By An Inns & 297
Runs |
The Oval |
Glos |
Bat |
639-8d |
207 &
135 |
16-19
Aug 2005 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Glos |
Bat |
463 |
350
&294-6 |
8-11
Jul 2005 |
Match Drawn |
Bristol |
Surrey |
Bat |
603 &
84-3 |
288 &
494 |
18-21
Jun 2004 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
598 |
368 &
255-9 |
2-4
Jun 2004 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Bristol |
Surrey |
Bat |
298 &
213 |
406 &
106-4 |
13-16
Apr 1999 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Glos |
Field |
342 &
229-7d |
213 &
209-5 |
22-24
Jul 1998 |
Lost By 2 Wickets |
Cheltenham |
Surrey |
Bat |
297 &
135 |
167 &
266-8 |
14-16
May 1997 |
Lost By 9 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
115 &
269 |
371 &
15-1 |
23-27
May 1996 |
Match Drawn |
Gloucester |
Glos |
Bat |
228-6d
& 174-8 |
373 &
163-2d |
27-30
Apr 1995 |
Won By 93 Runs |
The Oval |
Glos |
Bat |
217 &
475 |
392 &
207 |
26-30
May 1994 |
Won By 1 Wicket |
Gloucester |
Surrey |
Field |
72-3d
& 354-9 |
319-7d
& 106-4d |
15-17
Jul 1993 |
Won By An Inns & 66
Runs |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Field |
381 |
153 &
162 |
26-29
Jun 1992 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
Bristol |
Surrey |
Field |
300-5d
& 232-6 |
352-9d
& 178 |
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