SOMERSET V SURREY at Taunton (SSCC1), 14-17 MAY 2019
Top plays host to seventh in
Division One of the Specsavers County Championship; and what a
crucial game it promises to be. Somerset have set off like a rocket,
with a record of Played 2 Won 2. If Surrey are to are to retain the
title, they could really do without the cidermen making it three out
of three. The Oval outfit's only four-dayer to date, against Essex,
ended honourably - in a draw that owed far more to their showing
with the bat than the ball, which is worth recalling given their
failings with the willow in the 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup.
When these two met last
September the loss of the final day (which we won't go into)
prevented Surrey recording what would have been only their second
championship victory at Taunton since 1962. So, as it is, their
solitary success there in the last 57 years remains the victory in
1986 - when, due to no play on the middle day (back then, matches
were over three days), Somerset declared their first innings and
Surrey then forfeited their second to leave the hosts needing 345.
Just over two hours later it was all done and dusted thanks to the
fearsome West Indian Sylvester Clarke, who cast asunder Somerset’s
top order en route to figures of 5-31. In the cidermen's side for
that game they only had the likes of Botham, Richards and Garner!
These days Somerset's strength
is with the ball. All-rounder Lewis Gregory goes into this contest
as the country’s leading wicket-taker in the County Championship
(his 14 victims costing a mere 10.35 runs apiece). Craig Overton has
also been in scintillating form with seven wickets at an average of
18.85, while Jack Leach spun his side to victory with figures of
6-36 in his only four-day outing to date, against Notts at Trent
Bridge. With a career haul of 242 first-class wickets at 25.23 it's
astonishing the 27-year-old slow left-armer has only been handed
four England caps.
Somerset's batting is yet to
make its mark in 2019. That said, 21-year-old George Bartlett (202
championship runs at an average of 67.33) has come to the party, as
has skipper Tom Abell (180 at 60). But one senses it's only a
question of time before overseas signing Azhar Ali, who is currently
averaging 12.00, and James Hildreth, 13.00, get going. The
wicketkeeper's spot is an interesting one. Steven Davies didn't
feature in the Royal London. Instead the gloves went to Tom Banton,
who proceeded to hit hundreds - against Kent (107 off 79 balls) and
Worcestershire (112 in 103 deliveries).
Rikki Clarke's inclusion in the
Surrey squad is a real fillip. Clarke, who hasn't played since 23
April - when he dislocated a finger in the Royal London win over
Essex - has scored 1,129 runs and taken 74 wickets against the
cidermen in first-class cricket. His f-c career bests with both bat
and ball have also come against Somerset.
Surrey v
Somerset - First-Class Records Sheet
Dean Elgar (12,909) is approaching 13,000
first-class career runs, while Ben Foakes (4,972) is even closer to
5,000. As has already been said, Somerset's Jack Leach has 242 f-c
wickets, so it's quite possible his 250th will be captured over the
next four days.
Scott Borthwick and Rikki Clarke - both of whom were listed as
wounded in action - have been named in a 14-man Surrey squad; as
have spinners Gareth Batty and Freddie van den Bergh, and seamers
Conor McKerr and Stuart Meaker. Sam Curran is a notable absentee.
The 20-year-old has been ordered by the ECB to sit this game out
after making just nine IPL appearances for Kings XI Punjab. It's a
strange decision given that Sam is unlikely to play for England
before the end of July, when Test cricket makes its first appearance
on the 2019 fixture list. Meanwhile, Curran senior, Liam Plunkett
and Jason Roy are all on England white-ball duty.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Essex |
11-14 Apr 2019 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
395 & 324-6d |
448 & 0-0 |
Essex |
24-27
Sep 2018 |
Lost By 1 Wicket |
The Oval |
67 & 541 |
477-8d &
134-9 |
Somerset |
18-21
Sep 2018 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
485 |
146 & 168-3 |
Worcestershire |
10-13 Sep 2018 |
Won By 3 Wickets |
Worcester |
268 & 274-7 |
336 & 203 |
Essex |
4-6 Sep 2018 |
Won By 10 Wickets |
Chelmsford |
351 & 2-0 |
126 & 226 |
The South African duo of Dean Elgar and Morne Morkel will be key to
the outcome. The fact that Morkel was rested for Surrey’s final
Royal London outing underlines the significance of this re-match.
Across both championship meetings with Somerset in 2018, his wickets
cost an average of just 13.75. Elgar also knows Taunton well, having
been an overseas player there two seasons ago. Even though the
left-hander's first-class record at the Cooper Associates County
Ground is 407 runs at 33.91, in his one and only f-c knock against
Somerset he made 110. With the weather forecast to be a factor on
day four, much depends on what sort of wicket is served up. But
Taunton tends to be a venue where ball dominates bat in Champo
cricket, so here goes... (with everything crossed) I predict a much
needed win for Surrey.
M.Trescothick, A.Ali, J.Hildreth, T.Abell (capt), G.Bartlett,
T.Banton (wk), L.Gregory, C.Overton, J.Davey, J.Leach and J.Brooks.
Nick Cook and David Millns.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
SOMERSET |
18-21 Sep 2018 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Surrey |
Bat |
485 |
146 & 168-3 |
20-22 Jun 2018 |
Won By An Inns & 69 Runs |
Guildford |
Uncontested |
Field |
459 |
180 & 210 |
19-22 Sep 2017 |
Won By 6 Wickets |
The Oval |
Somerset |
Bat |
433 & 146-4 |
269 & 306 |
7-10 Aug 2017 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Uncontested |
Field |
345 |
436 |
28-30 May 2016 |
Lost By 1 Wicket |
Taunton |
Surrey |
Bat |
264 & 138 |
102 & 301-9 |
24-27 Apr 2016 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
463 & 181-8d |
353 & 122-4 |
11-14 Sep 2013 |
Lost By 7 Wickets |
Taunton |
Surrey |
Bat |
195 & 197 |
260 & 133-3 |
17-20 Apr 2013 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Somerset |
Bat |
366-9d |
384 & 251-9d |
28-31 Aug 2012 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Surrey |
Bat |
317 & 360-5d |
294 |
16-19 May 2012 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Somerset |
Bat |
388 & 239-7 |
512-9d & 180 |
12-15 Aug 2008 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Surrey |
Field |
406-9 |
401-3d |
30 May - 2 Jun 2008 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
Whitgift Sch |
Somerset |
Field |
326 & 227 |
446 & 111-2 |
19-22 Jul 2006 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
Somerset |
Bat |
717 |
688-8d |
14-16 Jun 2006 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
Bath |
Surrey |
Field |
266 & 356-6 |
342 & 276 |
3-6 Jul 2002 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Somerset |
Field |
608-6d & 324-5d |
554 & 329-7 |
24-27 May 2002 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
220 & 332 |
253 & 45-1 |
23-26 Aug 2001 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Somerset |
Bat |
278 & 294-6 |
373 & 311-6d |
6-9 Jun 2001 |
Won By 6 Wickets |
The Oval |
Somerset |
Bat |
403 & 210-4 |
377 & 234 |
14-16 Jun 2000 |
Won By An Inns & 213 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
548 |
145 & 190 |
26-29 Apr 2000 |
Match Drawn |
Taunton |
Somerset |
Field |
185 |
302-8d |
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