SURREY V ESSEX at
Guildford (LVCC2), 15-18 JULY 2009
Surrey used to be unbeatable at Guildford, but the Brown Caps have not tasted
victory at Woodbridge Road in the championship since 2002 when they beat
Yorkshire by 6 wickets to register their eighth four-day win on the trot there.
Essex come into tomorrow's contest with an off-colour-looking batting line-up
and an attack that will be looking to David Masters to do the hard yards.
Masters has taken 26 championship wickets at 18.03 runs apiece, but with
Danish Kaneria missing, the next name down the list in the bowling averages is
that of part-time medium pacer Graham Napier, then off-spinner James Middlebrook,
who is averaging 33.62. With Tony Palladino and Tim Phillips included in Essex's
13-man squad, changes could be afoot.
The absence of Kaneria has at least allowed Essex to strengthen the batting.
South Africa's Hashim Amla really came to the party against Glamorgan last week
when his 181 in the second dig saved the day for the Eagles. Napier averages
52.66 thanks to three "red-inkers", but wicketkeeper James Foster is
the leading run-maker at the moment with 411 from ten innings. Matt Walker
hasn't exactly set the world alight since moving to Essex from Kent, but at
Guildford four years' ago he made 173 for the Spitfires.
As far as I can tell, there aren't any approaching.
With Mark Butcher clearly struggling for fitness, it looks as though Stewart
Walters will captain Surrey for the first time in the County Championship. Not
surprisingly, Murtaza Hussain has been dropped after turning in the second most
expensive figures ever by a Brown Caps' bowler. His place could well go to
21-year-old off-spinner Simon King, while Andre Nel (hamstring) returns from
injury to replace Alex Tudor. If Butcher doesn't play, his place in the batting
order will go to Chris Murtagh, who will not have fond memories of Guildford
after making 7 and 12 there against Durham in 2008.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Kent |
10-13 Jul
2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
386 & 170-3 |
620-7d |
Middlesex |
30 Jun -
1 Jul 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Lord's |
392 & 99-5 |
385 & 246-5d |
Leicestershire |
16-19 Jun
2009 |
Match Drawn |
Leicester |
329 |
165 & 487-5d |
Northamptonshire |
11-14 Jun
2009 |
Won By An Inns & 95 Runs |
Northampton |
530 |
209 & 226 |
Glamorgan |
6-9 Jun
2009 |
Match Drawn |
Cardiff |
368 & 82-3d |
271 |
If Essex win the toss, bat first and Hashim Amla cashes in, Surrey will clearly
be stuck behind the eight ball. But the weather forecast for Friday suggests
that this could turn into a three-day game, which, at Guildford, spells D-R-A-W.
V Chopra, J Maunders, H Amla, M Walker, M Pettini (capt), J Foster (wk), R ten
Doeschate, G Napier, J Middlebrook, D Masters and C Wright.
Nigel Cowley and Mike Harris. See also The
Dreaded Finger
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
ESSEX |
16-18
Aug 2006 |
Lost By An Inns & 2
Runs |
Colchester |
Surrey |
Bat |
330 &
198 |
530 |
31
May - 3 Jun 2006 |
Won By 6 Wickets |
Whitgift School |
Essex |
Bat |
433 &
178-4 |
365 &
244 |
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 |
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