SURREY V NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
at the Brit Oval (LVCC2), 9-12 SEPTEMBER 2009
When Northants learnt at the start of the season that David Sales would not
feature at all this summer, due to an injured knee, everyone wrote off the
chances of the Wantage Road outfit gaining promotion in the County Championship,
including me. But thanks to their bowling attack, Northamptonshire have punched
above their weight this term and go into this match with some solid form behind
them.
Surrey's professional cricket manager, Chris Adams has described this as a
"must win" game for the Brown Caps - not because he thinks the Brit
Oval outfit are still in with a chance of returning to the top flight, though -
he just doesn't want the end of the season to go from bad to worse.
Starting with Northants' bowling, then, three bowlers are currently averaging
under 25.00 with the ball. Left-arm seamer, David Lucas is Northamptonshire's
leading wicket-taker, with 47 victims at 20.89 runs apiece. Andrew Hall has been
used sparingly, but effectively, while Johann van der Wath is, arguably, the man
in form at the moment. The spin department could be in better fettle, though.
Skipper Nicky Boje has only picked up 19 wickets this season, while Monty
Panesar is averaging 59.21 runs per victim.
Just three Northants batsmen have hit championship hundreds this summer.
Stephen Peters (1,006 championship runs at an average of 50.30) has led the way,
but his manager David Capel does appear to have a problem knowing the best
option in terms of an opening partner for Peters. Niall O'Brian has been
promoted in two out of the last three matches, only to fail abysmally. But, for
the balance of the side, it looks as though Rob White, who opened with Peters
when these two sides met back in June, will continue to come in when the shine
has disappeared from the new ball. Along with Peters, Hall and Alex Wakely are
the batsmen to have reached three figures this year. In the case of the
20-year-old Wakely, since making an unbeaten 113 against Glamorgan in June he
has only scored 334 runs in 15 innings.
James Anyon is poised to make his Surrey debut. Usman Afzaal goes into this
contest with 99 catches in first-class cricket, while Jonathan Batty has 496.
With the bat, Stewart Walters has 961 first-class career runs. Of the Northants
contingent, Johann van der Wath has 297 first-class wickets. There is also an interesting stat relating to Northamptonshire's
Stephen Peters - in four of his last five championship games he has been
dismissed by the same bowler in both innings.
Surrey's 13-man squad for this game consists of seamer James Anyon - who is on
loan from Warwickshire - all-rounder Matthew Spriegel plus the eleven that lost
at Bristol.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Gloucestershire |
2-5 Sep
2009 |
Lost By An Inns & 1 Run |
Bristol |
183 & 339 |
523-7d |
Kent |
28-31 Aug
2009 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Canterbury |
423 & 293 |
517 & 200-4 |
Essex |
19-22 Aug
2009 |
Lost By 9 Wickets |
Colchester |
428 & 190 |
545 & 74-1 |
Derbyshire |
6-9 Aug
2009 |
Match Drawn |
Whitgift Sch |
362 & 320-4d |
334 & 232-5 |
Leicestershire |
31 Jul - 3 Aug 2009 |
Match Drawn |
Brit Oval |
608-4d |
593-5d & 23-0 |
Even though Northants have not managed to beat Surrey away from home since 1994,
they come into this match with two wins out of their last three. In stark
contrast Surrey's recent form in the championship has been woeful. Just about
the only positive has been the way the tail has wagged in the last two matches.
The weather forecast looks good, with the Test strip Bill Gordon has proved that
he can produce result wickets, so my tip for this clash simply has to be
Northamptonshire.
S Peters, N O'Brien (wk), A Wakely, R Wessels, R White, N Boje (capt), A Hall, J
van der Wath, D Lucas, M Panesar and L Daggett.
Nick Cook and Vanburn Holder. See also The
Dreaded Finger
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
NORTHANTS |
11-14
Jun 2009 |
Won By An Inns & 95
Runs |
Northampton |
Surrey |
Field |
530 |
209 &
226 |
2-5
Aug 2006 |
Won By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
Northants |
Bat |
669-5d
& 65-3 |
347 &
386 |
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 |
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