LANCASHIRE LIGHTNING V SURREY BROWN CAPS at Old Trafford (Pro40 League), 22 JULY 2009

Thanks to Alan Fordham's computer at the ECB, this will be Surrey's first List A match away from home since May 10 (and they wonder why people don't come to cricket any more, especially when there's ball-by-ball coverage on the internet to fall back on when you have been tripped up by the fixture list).

Looking at the weather forecast for this game, rain is predicted to fall on Manchester tomorrow. But since the match is on Sky Sports don't expect a complete washout. When it rains, may be they'll show the highlights of the 2004 Twenty20 Cup semi-final between these two sides. It seems a lifetime ago now, particularly when you consider that not one member of that Surrey side will be lining up against Lancashire tomorrow night. Mind you, back then Chris Schofield was playing for the Red Rose outfit, who are only due to field two survivors themselves - Chilton and Keedy.

On paper the 2009 version of the Lightning look well suited to the shorter form of the game. With the bat, Mark Chilton, Faf du Plessis (412 List A runs at an average of 82.40), Paul Horton, Tom Smith and Luke Sutton are all averaging over 38.00 in List A cricket this summer. In his only one-day innings thus far, VVS Laxman made 54. Meanwhile, with the ball, of the Lancashire bowlers likely to be on show tomorrow night, Kyle Hogg, Sajid Mahmood (17 List A wickets at 22.23 runs apiece), Gary Keedy and Stephen Parry all boast economy rates of less than 4.50 runs per over.

Click here for the Surrey v Lancashire List A Records sheet as at the start of the 2009 season.

VVS Laxman goes into this contest with 4,998 List A runs to his name.

Andre Nel has been added to the squad of thirteen from which the side for last Sunday's nine-wicket loss was picked. That would seem to suggest that Chris Jordan, whose four overs against Middlesex went for 46, will be the one to make way.

The weather forecasters are saying there's a 90% chance of rain. Given that it's Manchester we're talking about, who am I to disagree? So, I'm predicting that the points will be shared.

P Horton, T Smith, VVS Laxman, F du Plessis, S Croft, M Chilton (capt), G Cross (wk), K Hogg, S Mahmood, S Parry and G Keedy.

Rob Bailey and Mark Benson. (3rd umpire - Steve Gale).

GO TO:




BACK TO: