SURREY V ESSEX at
Whitgift School (LVCC2), 31 MAY - 3 JUNE 2006
Tomorrow's Liverpool Victoria County Championship clash at Whitgift School
has all the makings of a pivotal contest. Like Surrey, the evens favourites for
the title, Essex are shoulder to shoulder with the early front-runners Derbyshire.
Ronnie Irani's men owe their lofty position to an innings victory over
Glamorgan followed by a successful run chase against Somerset. Prominent on both
occasions was Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe captain and wicketkeeper, who
made 169 at Cardiff and 161 in the first innings at Taunton.
Flower, whose brother Grant had been opening the batting until Arul Chopra
came from nowhere to make 106 and 50 not out against Gloucestershire, no longer
finds any use for his keeping gloves with James Foster around. Foster, who has
appeared seven times in Tests for England, is still regarded as one of the leading stumpers
in the country.
Even when bowling sides have disposed of the likes of Ravi Bopara, who is
widely tipped as a star of the future, Foster and the all-round quartet of Andre
Adams, James Middlebrook, Gavin Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate have caused the
tail to wag to great effect.
But for injuries to former England fast bowlers Darren Gough (hamstring) and
Alex Tudor (knee), coupled with the late arrival of their second overseas
player, Andy Bichel, the Chelmsford-based outfit could well have a clear lead at
the top of the table at this point. But spinner Tim Phillips has seized being
given a regular berth with both hands.
Other absentees for Essex will be Alistair Cook, who is on England duty,
and opening batsman Will Jefferson, who is taking longer than expected to get
over the recent operation to his left wrist.
Amongst the Essex ranks, Alex Tudor has 292 first-class wickets, while Tim
Phillips has so far taken 48 wickets for his county. For Surrey, Jonathan Batty
has 390 f-c dismissals, James Benning 963 runs, Nayan Doshi 90 wickets and Ian
Salisbury 796 wickets.
Alistair Brown's shaky early season form in the LVCC - 98 runs at an average of
fourteen - sees him miss a
championship game for the first time since Surrey's visit to Northampton at the
end of July 2004. James Benning retains his place, therefore. Jimmy Ormond is
still thought to be a fortnight away from being ready to play first team cricket
again, but the good news is that Martin Bicknell is over his groin injury and
looks set to continue his record of not missing a championship match at Whitgift.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Worcestershire |
17-20 May 2006 |
Lost By 2 Wickets |
The Oval |
501-7d &
136-3d |
353-9d & 287-8 |
Gloucestershire |
3-5 May 2006 |
Won By An Inns & 297 Runs |
The Oval |
639-8d |
207 & 135 |
Leicestershire |
26-29 Apr 2006 |
Won By 99 Runs |
Leicester |
370 & 287-7d |
244 & 314 |
Derbyshire |
19-22 Apr 2006 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
308 & 476-8d |
492 |
Middlesex |
21-24 Sep 2005 |
Won By An Inns & 39 Runs |
The Oval |
686-5d |
404-5d & 243 |
Make no mistake, this will be a hard-fought match. Surrey haven't lost a championship
fixture at Whitgift, so, given that you cannot fit a fag-paper in-between these
two sides, I am predicting that there's a first time for everything. Essex
win.
V Chopra, M Pettini, R Bopara, A Flower, R Irani (capt), J Foster (wk), R
ten Doeschate, J Middlebrook, T Phillips, A Adams and A Palladino.
Graham Burgess and John Holder.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
ESSEX |
17-19
Sep 2003 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
318 & 194 |
464 & 49-2 |
21-24
May 2003 |
Won By 258 Runs |
Chelmsford |
Essex |
Field |
376 & 381-7d |
252 & 247 |
13-16
Jun 2001 |
Match Drawn |
Ilford |
Surrey |
Bat |
198 & 306 |
296 & 153-2 |
25-28
May 2001 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
498 & 206-5d |
300 & 312-4 |
14-17
May 1999 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
The Oval |
Essex |
Bat |
195 & 272-6 |
262 & 204 |
11-15
Jun 1998 |
Match Drawn |
Chelmsford |
Essex |
Field |
373 |
203 & 75-4 |
4-7
Jun 1997 |
Lost By 147 Runs |
The Oval |
Essex |
Bat |
280 & 222 |
347 & 302 |
27
Jun - 1 Jul 1996 |
Match Drawn |
Southend |
Surrey |
Bat |
476-8d & 167-2 |
425-9d |
6-10
Jul 1995 |
Lost By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
Essex |
Field |
437 & 203 |
493 & 151-3 |
11-15
Aug 1994 |
Lost By An Inns & 87 Runs |
Colchester |
Essex |
Bat |
88 & 203 |
378 |
13-17
May 1993 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
330 & 178-4 |
418 & 153 |
18-20
Aug 1992 |
Match Drawn |
Colchester |
Essex |
Field |
292 & 10-0 |
229 |
5-8
Jul 1991 |
Won By 5 Wickets |
The Oval |
Essex |
Bat |
299 & 230-5 |
338-5d &
185-7d |
27
Apr - 1 May 1991 |
Match Drawn |
Chelmsford |
Essex |
Field |
268 |
211-4 |
18-21
Sep 1990 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Essex |
Bat |
140 & 613-6d |
539 |
18-21
Aug 1990 |
Lost By 283 Runs |
Chelmsford |
Surrey |
Field |
114 & 120 |
236 & 281-5d |
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