SURREY
V ESSEX at the Kia Oval (LVCC)
19-22 JULY 2022
Top of Division One plays host to fourth. Surrey, whose first three victories were all chalked up at the
Oval, come into this contest having won two out of three on the road
- the most recent of which, against Yorkshire at Scarborough, was
sealed, despite an abundance of runs (1,484 to be precise) over four
days, with just three balls to spare.
But one could argue that, right now, Essex are the form side,
following three successive victories - away to Lancashire and at
home to Hampshire and Gloucestershire.
It's no surprise that this purple patch has coincided with
off-spinner Simon Harmer taking 34 wickets at 14.02 runs apiece.
Only Toby Roland-Jones, of Middlesex, has bagged more victims this
season's County Championship.
In terms of Division One, only
Hampshire's Keith Barker (38) and Warwickshire's Oliver Hannon-Dalby
(35) are close to challenging Harmer's tally of 40 wickets at an
average of 20.87.
The presence of Harmer has also given Matt Critchley - who
swapped Derby for Chelmsford last winter - the chance to operate in
tandem with a fellow spinner for, perhaps, the first time in his
career.
With the new ball, Jamie Porter's injury problems have been more
than alleviated by Sam Cook and Shane Snater, whose career averages
in first-class cricket both continue to hover, impressively, around
the 20-mark.
But you can see where all this is leading... Essex's issues in
the championship, when they have reared their ugly head (four wins
have been offset by three defeats), can be traced back to
insufficient runs.
Other than Sir Alastair Cook (658 at an
average of 50.61 this term), the greatly under-rated Paul Walter
(305 at 43.57) and skipper Tom Westley no one is currently averaging
over thirty with the willow for them.
Surrey have no such problems - Hashim Amla (36.54) is 14th in the
Oval outfit's batting
averages
Still, Dan Lawrence has happy memories of the Oval, where he made
161 in 2015, in only his second game as a professional.
But if the 25-year-old is to break back into the England team,
he'll need to dip his bread more often. This summer, Lawrence's only
championship innings of any note for Essex is the 120 he scored
against Lancashire a couple of months ago.
Surrey v
Essex - First-Class Records Sheet
Ollie Pope (4,914) is
closing in on a 5,000th first-class career run, while, with the
ball, Essex's Simon Harmer (796) and Jamie Porter (397) are
approaching 800 and 400 f-c wickets respectively.
Kemar Roach returns as Surrey's second
overseas, following Aaron Hardie's brief stint in the Blast and at
Scarborough in the County Championship; where, it has to be said,
the Australian was significantly more influential than
his scores of 46 and 40 not out might otherwise suggest. Ollie Pope
is another returnee. With Jamie Smith struck down by illness, Pope
for Smith is likely to be the only other change to the eleven that
clinched victory in dramatic fashion over Yorkshire last week.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
VENUE |
RESULT |
Yorkshire |
11-14 Jul 2022 |
Scarborough |
Won By 4 Wickets |
Kent |
26-29 Jun 2022 |
The Oval |
Match Drawn |
Somerset |
12-15 Jun 2022 |
Taunton |
Won By 3 Wickets |
Kent |
12-15 May 2022 |
Beckenham |
Match Drawn |
Northants |
5-7 May 2022 |
The Oval |
Won By An Inns & 5 Runs |
Surrey haven't beaten Essex at the Oval in
four-day cricket since 1999, and if the rain forecast to make an
appearance on days
two and four materialises, that's unlikely to change.
Even though Simon Harmer is on
fire for Essex and Ollie Pope at the Oval invariably equals bags of
runs for the hosts, I'm saying: "Draw."
N.Browne, A.Cook, T.Westley (capt),
D.Lawrence, P.Walter, M.Critchley, A.Rossington (wk), S.Harmer,
S.Snater, S.Cook and J.Porter.
Peter Hartley and Russell Warren.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
ESSEX |
12-15
Sep 2021 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
161 & 113-2 |
439 |
8-11
Aug 2020 |
Lost By 169 Runs |
Chelmsford |
187 & 167 |
262 & 261 |
16-19
Sep 2019 |
Lost By An Inns & 40 R |
Chelmsford |
174 & 181 |
395 |
11-14
Apr 2019 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
395 & 324-6d |
448 & 0-0 |
24-27
Sep 2018 |
Lost By 1 Wicket |
The Oval |
67 & 541 |
477-8d & 134-9 |
4-6
Sep 2018 |
Won By 10 Wickets |
Chelmsford |
351 & 2-0 |
126 & 226 |
9-12
Jun 2017 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
Guildford |
399 & 288 |
435 & 253-2 |
26-29
May 2017 |
Match Drawn |
Chelmsford |
369 & 260-9d |
383 |
7-10
Aug 2015 |
Won By 3 Wickets |
Colchester |
346 & 314-7 |
369 & 289-9d |
26-29
Apr 2015 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
340 & 95-2 |
610-8d |
25-28
May 2014 |
Match Drawn |
Chelmsford |
261-7 |
228 |
20-23
Apr 2014 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
237 |
306 & 258-4d |
7-10
Sep 2011 |
Won By 109 Runs |
Chelmsford |
315 & 286 |
253 & 239 |
18-21
May 2011 |
Match Drawn |
Whitgift Sch |
506 & 65-1 |
548 & 324 |
19-22
Aug 2009 |
Lost By 9 Wickets |
Colchester |
428 & 190 |
545 & 74-1 |
15-18
Jul 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
352-8d |
401 & 201-3 |
16-18
Aug 2006 |
Lost By An Inns & 2 R |
Colchester |
330 & 198 |
530 |
31
May - 3 Jun 2006 |
Won By 6 Wickets |
Whitgift Sch |
433 & 178-4 |
365 & 244 |
17-19
Sep 2003 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
The Oval |
318 & 194 |
464 & 49-2 |
21-24
May 2003 |
Won By 258 Runs |
Chelmsford |
376 & 381-7d |
252 & 247 |
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