SURREY V NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
at the Brit Oval (LVCC2), 2-5 AUGUST 2006
After racking-up a morale-boosting 660-5 declared against promotion contenders
Essex last week, tomorrow's visitors not only lost coach Kepler
Wessels, who parted company with them on Friday, they were also unable to
breakdown Ronnie Irani's men with the ball. Mind you, given the form they have been in
of late, Northamptonshire would probably have taken the draw had they been offered it
on day one.
One piece of good news for the visitors is the return of the Australian
opener Chris Rogers, which means Sales and company can draw a line under Sourav
Ganguly's even more disappointing period at Wantage Road. On the other side of
the coin, however, wicketkeeper Riki Wessels is out for the rest of campaign
with a ripped hamstring. So, behind the timbers, Bilal Shafayat deputises.
As far as Surrey are concerned, the dangers will be Usman Afzaal, David Sales
and Lance Klusener (840 championship runs at an average of 76.36) with the bat;
plus Matt Nicholson (27 wickets at 29.14 runs apiece) and off-spinner Jason
Brown with the ball.
Mark Butcher is set to make his 250th first-class appearance and Scott Newman
his 50th f-c appearance for Surrey; while Northants' Jason Brown is entering his
100th in all f-c cricket. Rikki Clarke has 95 f-c wickets to his name and
Jonathan Batty is closing in on 400 dismissals for Surrey. Batty currently has
398.
Nayan Doshi is added to the Surrey eleven that drew with Somerset at Guildford a
week or so ago, which raises the possibility of the Brown Caps going into a
championship match with three front-line spinners for the first time since
Intikhab Alam, Pat Pocock and Chris Waller lined-up for the Oval outfit way back
in 1972. Scott Newman - who has made just 160 runs in his last 9 first-class
innings - keeps his place at the expense of James Benning, who made an
eye-catching 91 for the 2nd XI against Durham today.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Somerset |
19-22 Jul 2006 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
717 |
688-8d |
Northamptonshire |
14-17 Jul 2006 |
Won By 229 Runs |
Northampton |
328 & 424-6d |
300 & 223 |
Glamorgan |
20-23 Jun 2006 |
Match Drawn |
Swansea |
348 & 448-8d |
410 & 168-2 |
Somerset |
14-16 Jun 2006 |
Won By 4 Wickets |
Bath |
266 & 356-6 |
342 & 276 |
Leicestershire |
7-10 Jun 2006 |
Won By An Inns & 158 Runs |
The Oval |
668-7d |
251 & 259 |
Although the weather seems to be on the turn, heavy showers are not forecast to
hit London until Sunday. So, with a result in prospect, one would be pessimistic
in the extreme to think that Northants are capable of becoming world-beaters
overnight following the departure of coach Kepler Wessels; in whom the players
had reportedly lost all confidence.
C Rogers, S Peters, B Shafayat (wk), U Afzaal, D Sales (capt), L
Klusener, R White, B Phillips, M Nicholson, D Wigley and J Brown.
Ian Gould and Vanburn Holder.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
NORTHANTS |
14-17
Jul 2006 |
Won By 229 Runs |
Northampton |
Surrey |
Bat |
328 &
424-6d |
300 &
223 |
29
Jul - 1 Aug 2004 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Northampton |
Surrey |
Bat |
402 & 147 |
332 & 220-4 |
28
Apr - 1 May 2004 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Northants |
Field |
403-7d |
64-2d |
18-20
Jul 2001 |
Won By An Inns & 55 Runs |
Guildford |
Northants |
Bat |
368 |
120 & 193 |
9-12
May 2001 |
Match Drawn |
Northampton |
Northants |
Bat |
607 |
476 & 304-1 |
28
Apr - 1 May 1999 |
Won By 8 Wickets |
Northampton |
Northants |
Bat |
286 & 301-2 |
248 & 338 |
17-21
Apr 1998 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Northants |
Field |
351-5d |
44-2d & 46-1 |
23-26
Jul 1997 |
Match Drawn |
Northampton |
Surrey |
Bat |
581-7d |
401 & 241-2d |
3-6
Sep 1996 |
Won By 225 Runs |
The Oval |
Northants |
Field |
395 & 298-9d |
235 & 233 |
18-20
May 1995 |
Lost By 9 Runs |
Northampton |
Northants |
Bat |
263 & 190 |
403 & 59 |
19-23
May 1994 |
Lost By 3 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
181 & 322-8d |
188 & 316-7 |
22-26
Jul 1993 |
Lost By 304 Runs |
Northampton |
Surrey |
Field |
189 & 108 |
238 & 363 |
30
Jun - 2 Jul 1992 |
Won By 5 Wickets |
The Oval |
Northants |
Bat |
164-2d & 252-5 |
312-8d &
102-6d |
7-11
May 1992 |
Match Drawn |
Northampton |
Northants |
Bat |
279-6d & 142-5 |
375 & 147-3d |
23-26
Aug 1991 |
Lost By 138 Runs |
Northampton |
Northants |
Bat |
150-4d & 218 |
401-9d &
105-4d |
4-6
Jul 1990 |
Won By 147 Runs |
The Oval |
Northants |
Field |
347-2d &
Forfeited |
Forfeited &
200 |
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