SURREY V LANCASHIRE at the Kia Oval (LVCC2), 31 MAY - 3 JUNE 2015
The pre-season favourites for
promotion meet for only the third time in four-day cricket since April
2008 - the fixture at Blackpool the same year having fallen foul not of the
weather, but of a saturated outfield. With four wins under their belts
already, Lancashire are running away with Division Two. Clustered in
behind are three counties with unbeaten records - Glamorgan, Northants
and Surrey.
Lancashire's bowling attack
lacked a cutting edge in 2014. Not so this year, thanks to the
emergence of Zimbabwe seamer Kyle Jarvis, 26, who has bagged 34
championship wickets at an average of 21.88. Tom Bailey is averaging
31.60 compared with 45.33 last term, but Simon Kerrigan's is the most
significant return to form. The 26-year-old slow left-armer returns to
the scene of his only Test appearance with 20 championship wickets at
26.10 runs apiece. Throw Nathan Buck, James Faulkner and off-spinning
all-rounder Arron Lilley into the mix and it's not difficult to see
why the red rose county seem to have one foot back in Division One
already.
In the past, Lancashire often
seemed to be two or three wickets down for next to nothing, but Ashwell
Prince's change of heart, having announced his retirement at the end
of last season, has been fully vindicated. The 38-year-old South
African currently has 771 championship runs at an average of 96.37.
Paul Horton is having his best season for seven years and Alviro Petersen already has two championship hundreds to his
name. Unfortunately, skipper Steven Croft has been a tad inconsistent,
but that has been compensated for by 20-year-old wicketkeeper batsman
Alex Davies hitting the ground running.
If they play, James Burke will be making his
championship debut and Ben Foakes his Surrey debut. Jason Roy
(2,935) is approaching 3,000 first-class career runs, while
Lancashire's Simon Kerrigan (249) is on the brink of taking his
250th f-c wicket.
Kevin Pietersen returns. That's the good news. The bad news is that
Jade Dernbach (side strain), Luke Fletcher (back spasms), Tim Linley
(lacking match fitness) and Chris Tremlett (hamstring) are all
sidelined. With Gary Wilson off on international duty, Ben Foakes is
named in the squad, as is James Burke.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Kent |
24-27 May 2015 |
Won By 3 Wickets |
Beckenham |
292 & 196-7 |
282 & 204 |
Northamptonshire |
18-21 May 2015 |
Match Drawn |
Northampton |
499-6d |
309 |
Leicestershire |
10-13 May 2015 |
Won By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
557 & 218-3 |
292 & 480 |
Essex |
26-29 Apr 2015 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
340 & 95-2 |
610-8d |
Glamorgan |
19-22 Apr 2015 |
Match Drawn |
Cardiff |
563-7d & 207-4d |
419 & 116-0 |
The weather forecast has improved to the extent that the forecasters
are only predicting the loss of half a day's play in this match.
That said, make sure you are wearing plenty of layers if you're
attending days one and two. Surrey's recent championship record
against Lancashire (just two defeats in the last 15 meetings and six
wins) plus Kevin Pietersen's decision to make himself available are
sources of encouragement for the hosts, but, right now, the Old
Trafford outfit are the cream of Division Two. Prediction - a hard
fought draw.
P
Horton, A
Petersen, A
Prince, S Croft (capt),
A Davies (wk), A
Lilley, J
Faulkner, T Bailey, N
Buck, K Jarvis and
S
Kerrigan.
Billy Taylor and Alex Wharf.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
LANCS |
11-14 Sep 2012 |
Match Drawn |
Liverpool |
Lancashire |
Field |
367 |
142-2d |
11-14 Jul 2012 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Field |
430-5 |
485-7d |
27-30 Aug 2008 |
Abandoned |
Blackpool |
No toss made |
- |
- |
- |
16-19 Apr 2008 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
537-5d |
241-6 |
19-22 Sep 2007 |
Won By 24 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
427-9d & 295-5d |
234 & 464 |
2-4 May 2007 |
Lost By 7 Wickets |
Old Trafford |
Surrey |
Bat |
284 & 120 |
315 & 90-3 |
2-4 Sep 2004 |
Won By 147 Runs |
Old Trafford |
Surrey |
Bat |
369 & 185 |
278 & 129 |
11-13 Aug 2004 |
Won By An Inns & 55 Runs |
Whitgift Sch |
Lancashire |
Bat |
525 |
210 & 260 |
26-29 Aug 2003 |
Lost By 8 Wickets |
Old Trafford |
Surrey |
Bat |
337 & 138 |
341 & 135-2 |
18-21 Apr 2003 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Lancashire |
Bat |
280 & 379-6 |
599 |
31 May - 3 Jun 2002 |
Match Drawn |
Old Trafford |
Surrey |
Bat |
382 & 246-6d |
194 & 112-3 |
8-11 May 2002 |
Won By 3 Wickets |
The Oval |
Lancashire |
Bat |
216 & 309-7 |
320 & 200 |
29 Jun - 2 Jul 2001 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
248 & 320-9d |
276 & 170-2 |
25-28 Apr 2001 |
Abandoned |
Old Trafford |
No toss made |
- |
- |
- |
13-16 Sep 2000 |
Match Drawn |
Old Trafford |
Lancashire |
Bat |
359 |
324 & 304-9d |
2-5 Aug 2000 |
Won By 272 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
310 & 227-4d |
120 & 145 |
15-18 Jun 1999 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
The Oval |
Lancashire |
Bat |
298 & 161-6 |
194 & 260 |
18-21 Jun 1998 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Old Trafford |
Lancashire |
Field |
146 & 254-1d |
151-7d & 250-4 |
10-12 Sep 1997 |
Lost By An Inns & 55 Runs |
The Oval |
Lancashire |
Bat |
270 & 267 |
592-4d |
7-9 Aug 1996 |
Won By 140 Runs |
Southport |
Lancashire |
Field |
211 & 442 |
145 & 368 |
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