Surrey's inexperienced attack have not really let their side down in the abridged versions of the game, but here comes the big test - the 10/11 County Championship favourites, Warwickshire. This will be a third visit in a row to a so-called "out ground" for the Bears. Their trip to Guildford follows four-day fixtures at Stratford-upon-Avon and Beckenham; both of which ended in draws that prevented this summer's surprise package stealing an even bigger march on their Division One rivals than they have done already. But quite whether their lead is as unassailable as their odds would suggest remains to be seen. The midlands county could be without Jonathan Trott, who suffered a calf injury in last Saturday’s C&G Trophy semi-final defeat to Worcestershire, but they will be led in every sense by Nick Knight (896 championship runs at an average of 99.55) and Michael Powell, who is averaging a very handy 91.50. Just for good measure, the visitors can, and almost certainly will throw in five more batsmen with fifty-plus averages. The immensely attractive Jim Troughton, who has struggled this year, is the one likely to miss out. Dewald Pretorius's third stint as overseas replacement for Heath Streak, who has a stomach muscle problem, sees him go head-to-head with a batting line-up he will be pretty familiar with by now. At Edgbaston earlier this term he had figures of 4-36 in the totesport League game and three second innings victims in the Frizzell County Championship match. The Bears' leading wicket-taker in the championship, Neil Carter, will also be licking his lips at the prospect of renewing his rivalry with Mark Ramprakash, whom he dismissed in two out of his three digs in Birmingham; and who is yet to leave his mark in six championship knocks at Woodbridge Road. But the unexpected success stories with the ball this season have been Ian Bell - who has done his chances of an England call-up no harm at all by claiming 12 four-day scalps at 21.83 runs apiece - and 20-year-old Naqaash Tahir, who is in close attendance with fourteen at 22.64. Upcoming milestones for the Surrey boys - Mark Ramprakash will be making his 50th first-class appearance for the Oval outfit, while wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty needs four more victims for 300 first-class career dismissals.
|