SURREY V KENT at the
Brit Oval (LVCC1), 29 JUNE - 2 JULY 2008
With a seam-friendly wicket likely to greet Surrey when they travel to Trent
Bridge and a draw being a nailed-on certainty at Guildford, the outcome in this
match could set the tone for the rest of the Brown Caps' season. Looking at the
recent history of Surrey v Kent contests in the championship, it is encouraging
to note that the Oval outfit have won their last three clashes in the capital
against the hop
county. Since then, however, the Spitfires have had the better of
things.
Other than Azhar Mahmood and Martin van Jaarsveld, the Kent batsmen have been
even shorter for runs in this year's County Championship than Surrey's have.
Matt Walker has made a particularly poor start to the 2008 campaign and an
average of 8.80 is unlikely to win him a place in the visitors' line-up
tomorrow. Were it not for his 149 against Somerset at Tunbridge Wells, Joe Denly would definitely be a yet
another example of second season under-achievement.
With the ball, however, Kent have had a great deal more to write home about
than the Brown Caps this term. Ryan McLaren has taken 26 wickets at an average
of 17.00 (what Surrey would give for a seamer who has taken 17 wickets at
26.00!). With Robbie Joseph having collected 17 wickets at 24.41 runs apiece and
Yasir Arafat 14 at 31.71, the only real concern for the hop county has been the
fact that James Tredwell's victims have cost an average of
66.16.
Jonathan Batty needs 9 dismissals for 500 first-class dismissals. Ali Brown
needs 68 runs for 15,000 career f-c runs. In case anyone has forgotten, Mark Ramprakash needs one
more century for 100 f-c hundreds. Chris Schofield needs 5 more wickets for 200
in first-class cricket.
Despite his last four championship knocks being 33, 0, 0 and 6, Alistair Brown
is likely to benefit from Mark Butcher's absence with a knee injury, which it is
thought could keep the Surrey skipper sidelined until well into August. Chris
Jordan and Jimmy Ormond are available, but with the hosts likely to field two
spinners, Jordan and Ormond could lose out to Jade Dernbach, who took a career best
6-72 in the
Brown Caps' most recent championship match against Somerset at Whitgift.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Somerset |
30 May - 2 Jun 2008 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
Whitgift Sch |
326 & 227 |
446 & 111-2 |
Yorkshire |
21-24 May 2008 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
466-8d & 299-6d |
525 |
Hampshire |
14-17 May 2008 |
Match Drawn |
Rose Bowl |
278 & 229-8d |
227 & 247-8 |
Sussex |
30 Apr - 3 May
2008 |
Match Drawn |
Hove |
400-5d |
475 & 13-0 |
Durham |
23-26 Apr 2008 |
Match Drawn |
The Riverside |
183 & 83-3 |
224 & 228-9d |
Rain is forecast for day four, but if the batters are still in Twenty20 mode
three days might just be enough to get a decisive result on what is likely to be
another Oval shirtfront. The loss of Mark Butcher is a massive blow and if
Kent's seamers are able to get more out of the wicket than their counterparts,
the visitors would seem, to me at least, to be in better shape. So, even though
it pains me, I have to admit to fancying Kent's chances.
R Key (capt), J Denly, M van Jaarsveld, D Stevens, J Kemp, G Jones (wk), Azhar
Mahmood, J Tredwell, R McLaren, Yasir Arafat and R Joseph.
Rob Bailey and Jeff Evans.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
KENT |
8-9
Aug 2007 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
Canterbury |
Kent |
Bat |
215 &
108-6 |
150 &
171 |
30
May - 2 Jun 2007 |
Lost By An Inns & 79
Runs |
Whitgift School |
Kent |
Field |
166 &
319 |
564-5d |
20-23
Jul 2005 |
Lost By 4 Wickets |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Bat |
452-8d
& 350 |
572 &
232-6 |
25-28
May 2005 |
Match Drawn |
Tunbridge Wells |
Kent |
Bat |
324 &
333-4 |
262 &
467-4d |
18-21
Aug 2004 |
Match Drawn |
Canterbury |
Kent |
Bat |
402-8d |
226 &
234-8 |
25-28
May 2004 |
Won By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
479 &
174-3 |
239 &
413 |
4-6
Sep 2003 |
Lost By An Inns &
155 Runs |
Canterbury |
Kent |
Bat |
125 &
255 |
535 |
2-5
Jul 2003 |
Won By 186 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
401 &
251-3d |
352-5d
& 114 |
19-22
Jul 2002 |
Won By 2 Wickets |
Canterbury |
Kent |
Bat |
225 &
410-8 |
374 &
260 |
12-14
Jun 2002 |
Won By 9 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
361 &
61-1 |
153 &
268 |
16-19
Aug 2001 |
Match Drawn |
Canterbury |
Surrey |
Bat |
258 &
193-8 |
301 |
20-23
Apr 2001 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Kent |
Bat |
473 |
456-8d |
23-26
May 2000 |
Match Drawn |
Canterbury |
Surrey |
Bat |
348-8 |
- |
11-14
May 2000 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Kent |
Field |
417 &
17-0d |
115-2d
& 255-8 |
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