SURREY V DERBYSHIRE at the Brit Oval
(LVCC2), 9-12 APRIL 2010
The ECB recently granted Derbyshire
permission to rotate the square at Derby, but is their long wait for
silverware - currently the longest of any county - about to turn
around? Not if the odds-setters are to believed, but Derbyshire are
more than capable of improving on the sixth place they have made
their own in recent years.
The batting looks strong. It will be
led, once again, by the prolific Chris Rogers, who averages 62.84
for the county, but who ended the Sheffield Shield season down under
with just two half centuries in 12 innings. Last summer saw Wayne
Madsen burst on to the cricket scene in England. It will be a major
surprise if the South African fails to rack up one thousand
first-class runs this term. Garry Park's move away from Durham bore
fruit. Greg Smith caught the eye without really cashing in and Dan
Redfern gave us a glimpse of what the future may hold for the
19-year-old southpaw.
Jamie Pipe's retirement sees the
wicketkeeping gloves pass to Lee Goddard, who returns to Nottingham
Road following a stint at Durham as Phil Mustard's understudy.
Goddard will be keeping to one of the better seam attacks in
Division Two, and the arrival of Robin Peterson gives Derbyshire a
viable spin threat for the first time in a while. Expect Graham Wagg
and Steffan Jones to open the season by taking the new ball, with
left-armer Mark Footitt, who joins from Notts, assuming more
responsibility as things unfold.
Mark Ramprakash has only scored 709
in ten first-class clashes with Derbyshire, however his recent
record for being quick out of the traps is phenomenal:
- First championship innings of the
season producing a century - 1997, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and
2009.
Andre Nel seems to like playing
Derbyshire. He has 18 f-c wickets at 24.33 runs apiece against them,
but his record in first-class matches at the Oval is not something
to write home about - six scalps at 60.83.
Finally, it will not be lost on
Surrey's supporters that the last time their side opened the new
campaign against Derbyshire at the Oval, the Oval outfit won
promotion back to Division One at the end of the season.
Derbyshire's Garry Park goes into this match with 1,904 first-class
career runs.
The seam department have three notable absentees - Chris Jordan
(back), Chris Tremlett (groin) and Rao Iftikhar Anjum (delays in
obtaining a working visa). Tim Linley and Stuart Meaker therefore
make Surrey's first side of the new county season. But the biggest
concern for the hosts must be a lack of experience at the head of
the batting order due to a "minor muscular problem" which
sees Michael Brown sidelined. Arun Harinath (who confirmed to me the
other day that Playfair is wrong and that he attended Tiffin School
rather than Whitgift), will be partnered by Matthew Spriegel, who
made an attractive 35 at Fenner's, batting at number three, last
weekend.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Glamorgan |
23-26
Sep 2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
430
& 309-7 |
702-8d |
Northamptonshire |
9-12
Sep 2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
376
& 282-9d |
492 |
Gloucestershire |
2-5
Sep 2009 |
Lost By An Inns
& 1 Run |
Bristol |
183
& 339 |
523-7d |
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 |
The weather looks set fair, so I can't simply trot out my customary
"early season equals draw" argument. Chris Adams says he
has had a word with groundsman Bill Gordon and now expects the
pitches at the Brit Oval to offer pace and bounce for the seamers
and to start taking spin from day three. Having witnessed six
championship matches out of six end in a draw at the Oval last
summer, I'll believe it when I see it - Draw.
C Rogers (capt), W Madsen, G Park, G Smith, D Redfern, R
Peterson, G Wagg, L Goddard (wk), T Groenewald, S Jones and M
Footitt.
Martin Bodenham and Nick Cook.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
DERBYS |
6-9
Aug 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Whitgift
School |
Surrey |
Bat |
362
& 320-4d |
334
& 232-5 |
22-25
Apr 2009 |
Lost By 5
Wickets |
Derby |
Surrey |
Bat |
131
& 360 |
274
& 220-5 |
20-23
Sep 2006 |
Won By 5
Wickets |
Derby |
Derbyshire |
Bat |
275-8d
& 273-5 |
385
& 162-8d |
19-22
Apr 2006 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Derbyshire |
Bat |
308
& 476-8d |
492 |
16-17
Aug 2000 |
Won By An
Inns & 45 Runs |
The Oval |
Derbyshire |
Bat |
260 |
118
& 97 |
7-9
Jun 2000 |
Lost By 7
Wickets |
Derby |
Surrey |
Bat |
138
& 218 |
191
& 167-3 |
24-27
Aug 1999 |
Won By 9
Wickets |
Derby |
Derbyshire |
Field |
350-9d
& 1-1 |
154
& 196 |
6-8
Aug 1998 |
Won By 226
Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
333
& 238-9d |
139
& 206 |
7-10
May 1997 |
Match Drawn |
Derby |
Surrey |
Bat |
267 |
158-3 |
30
May - 3 Jun 1996 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Derbyshire |
Field |
477
& 345-3d |
469
& 246-9 |
24-26
Aug 1995 |
Won By 7
Wickets |
Derby |
Derbyshire |
Field |
350
& 167-3 |
181
& 333 |
12-16
May 1994 |
Won By An
Inns & 138 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
570-6d |
208
& 224 |
19-21
Aug 1993 |
Lost By 6
Wickets |
Ilkeston |
Derbyshire |
Field |
205
& 332 |
438-9d
& 100-4 |
2-4
Jun 1992 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Derbyshire |
Bat |
253-9d
& 69-3 |
249
& 244-1d |
21-24
Jun 1991 |
Lost By 3
Wickets |
Derby |
Derbyshire |
Field |
137
& 184-4d |
80-3d
& 242-7 |
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