SURREY V WORCESTERSHIRE at Whitgift School
(LVCC2), 21-24 APRIL 2010
Surrey haven't met Worcestershire in
the County Championship for two seasons, but there will some
familiarity, indeed some added spice, due to Gareth Batty and Steven
Davies choosing to leave Worcester at the end of last season and
head for the Brit Oval.
Worcestershire's batting line-up
contains some well known names, but the main reason why the New Road
outfit were relegated in 2009 was down to some woeful batting
performances. Of tomorrow's line-up only Moeen Ali made more than
one championship ton last term. Even overseas returnee Phil Jaques
struggled by his high standards in the recent Sheffield Shield
season down under. But when Worcestershire last played in Division
Two, Vikram Solanki and Ben Smith made over one thousand runs and
averaged over forty.
Seamers Gareth Andrew (dislocated
finger) and Chris Whelan (hamstring) are ruled out through injury,
so in comes Jack Shantry - who took a match aggregate 12-65 against
Leeds/Bradford MCCE recently - and the experienced, if not always
fit, Matt Mason. With the pitch for this game rumoured to be as dry
as a bone, perhaps a spinner will come to the fore. Trouble is,
Worcestershire haven't got one.
Mark Ramprakash has a pretty good
record against Worcestershire. He has scored two hundreds in a match
against them on two occasions - in 1998 for Middlesex and in 2004
for Surrey. He has also made a century in four out his last five
championship head-to-heads with the New Road outfit, during which
time his run reads: 130, 100*, 118, 196, 84, 33 and 142.
This will be the eighth time Whitgift
School has staged a championship match. Surrey won three out of the
first four, but have not tasted victory since 2006. Last year's
championship game ended in a draw, but in the three years prior to
that, between 2006 and 2008, the team batting second went on to win.
Of the team Surrey will have on show,
only three have made a championship half-century at Whitgift School.
As you would expect, Mr Ramprakash has filled his boots - so far he
has made 921 first-class runs in ten completed innings at Croydon,
including 4 hundreds, from seven appearances.
Matthew Spriegel goes into this match with 906 first-class runs to
his name and Chris Schofield starts with 48 f-c wickets for Surrey.
Skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown is thought to be 50:50 for this game,
after receiving a blow on a foot from Luke Wright in the second
innings down at Hove. Stewart Walters has therefore been placed on
standby. Of those already on the injury list, opener Michael Brown
(tennis elbow) is now officially ruled out for the next month. It is
looking unlikely that Chris Jordan (back) will see action before the
end of May, but the news on Chris Tremlett (groin) is a little
better. He is hoping to be fit for Gloucestershire's visit to the
Brit Oval on 4-7 May.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Sussex |
15-18
Apr 2010 |
Lost By 10 Wickets |
Hove |
205
& 243 |
416
& 33-0 |
Derbyshire |
9-12
Apr 2010 |
Lost By 208 Runs |
The Oval |
352
& 165 |
451
& 274-6d |
Glamorgan |
23-26
Sep 2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
430
& 309-7 |
702-8d |
Northamptonshire |
9-12
Sep 2009 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
376
& 282-9d |
492 |
Gloucestershire |
2-5
Sep 2009 |
Lost By An Inns
& 1 Run |
Bristol |
183
& 339 |
523-7d |
Despite the ECB's efforts to kill off the County Championship, by
coming up with a fixture list that defies belief, once again it
looks as though the weather won't be playing ball, as it's looking
set fair for the next four days. With holes in both of the batting
line-ups on show, I can't see this game ending in stalemate. On
paper you've got to fancy Surrey, who possess more of a spin threat,
but, having started the summer with two defeats, it will be
interesting to see how much it has dented their confidence.
D Mitchell, P Jaques, V Solanki (capt), M Ali, A Kervezee, B Smith,
B Scott, R Jones, M Mason, J Shantry and A Richardson.
Rob Bailey and Neil Bainton.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
WORCS |
25-28
Jul 2007 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Bat |
369 |
217
& 307-5 |
6-9
Jun 2007 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
370
& 281-9 |
701-6d |
8-10
Aug 2006 |
Won By An
Inns & 107 Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
576 |
304
& 165 |
17-20
May 2006 |
Lost By 2
Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
501-7d
& 136-3d |
353-9d
& 287-8 |
3-6
Aug 2004 |
Won By 68
Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
375
& 329-5d |
295
& 341 |
23-26
Jun 2004 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Field |
155
& 187-8 |
400-4d |
20-23
Apr 1999 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Field |
223 |
15-1 |
3-6
Jun 1998 |
Won By 79
Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
502-7d
& 130-4d |
367
& 186 |
18-21
Jun 1997 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Surrey |
Bat |
452-9d |
81-1 |
19-22
Sep 1996 |
Lost By 124
Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
Forfeited
& 299 |
362
& 61-1d |
1-5
Jun 1995 |
Lost By 134
Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
183
& 152 |
204
& 265-7d |
28
Apr - 1 May 1994 |
Won By 9
Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
470
& 79-1 |
205
& 343 |
12-16
Aug 1993 |
Lost By 65
Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
427
& 227 |
406
& 313-9d |
12-15
Jun 1992 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
301-9d
& 169-5d |
195-7d
& 219-7 |
16-19
Aug 1991 |
Lost By 3
Wickets |
Worcester |
Surrey |
Bat |
185
& 360 |
401-9d
& 145-7 |
16-19
Jun 1990 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
67-1d
& 244-7 |
300-9d
& 84-0d |
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