SURREY V YORKSHIRE at the
Brit Oval (LVCC1), 18-21 APRIL 2007
To outsiders, it seemed at times this winter as if a soap opera was being
acted out in Yorkshire. Craig White gave up the captaincy, which was offered to
Anthony McGrath. McGrath told his employers that he was not interested in a
second spell in charge. In fact, he said, he had played his last game for the
county despite being contracted for a further season. Chris Adams was therefore
lured away from Hove and, in October, was unveiled as the new captain and coach.
David Byas, who had overseen team matters last term, was therefore surplus to
requirements.
Never mind, the Tykes probably said to themselves, changes were needed, so
let's look forward not back. They had not counted on Adams changing his mind
just a few weeks later. But all's well that ends well. Darren Gough was stalling
on a new contract to play for Essex, so Yorkshire pounced, offering him
the captaincy. With Gough on board, McGrath was soon won round; changing his
mind about leaving now that one of Yorkshire's favourite sons was back at
Headingley. Not long after, Martyn Moxon returned to Leeds as coach, turning his
back on a successful spell running affairs at Durham. All the pieces are now in
place for a crack at maintaining their Division One status in the County
Championship.
The Tykes would probably prefer not to be playing Surrey first up, but with
Matthew Hoggard available to augment a fully fit squad, they probably stand a
better chance of squaring up to the Brown Caps now, rather than later in the
season when Gough's knees might be creaking and Hoggard is playing regularly for England.
Admittedly, the visitors' batting looks a bit thin. Joe Sayers is still finding
his feet in county cricket, nobody really knows how Younis Khan and Jacques
Rudolph will blend in, but the biggest question of all is will McGrath be
committed and will he really see out his
contract?
Rikki Clarke, with 95, is approaching 100 career first-class wickets, while
Jimmy Ormond has 196 f-c wickets for Surrey. As for the Yorkshire contingent, Tim
Bresnan (992) is closing in of 1,000 f-c runs, Simon Guy needs two more
dismissals for 100 in f-c cricket and Jacques Rudolf has 19 f-c hundreds to his
name. In addition, Craig White needs just 70 runs for 10,000 for the visitors.
Out of Surrey's first choice side are Ian Salisbury, who has a strained arm, and
overseas signing Matt Nicholson, who is waiting until his premature twin baby
boys are off the danger list before hooking up with his new team-mates. Steve
Magoffin - who took 33 first-class wickets at 27.57 runs apiece for Western
Australia last winter - is set to deputise for fellow Aussie, Nicholson; while
Chris Schofield fills the vacancy created by Salisbury. Of the twelve announced
for this match, the probability is that Mohammad Akram will miss out, which
would mean the hosts lining up as follows: Newman, Batty, Ramprakash, Butcher,
Clarke, Brown, Azhar Mahmood, Schofield, Ormond, Doshi and Magoffin.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Derbyshire |
20-23 Sep 2006 |
Won By 5 Wickets |
Derby |
275-8d & 273-5 |
385 & 162-8d |
Gloucestershire |
6-9 Sep 2006 |
Match Drawn |
Bristol |
288 & 470-9 |
459 & 329-8d |
Glamorgan |
30 Aug - 1 Sep 2006 |
Won By 218 Runs |
The Oval |
433 & 309-5d |
269 & 255 |
Essex |
16-18 Aug 2006 |
Lost By An Inns & 2 Runs |
Colchester |
330 & 198 |
530 |
Worcestershire |
8-10 Aug 2006 |
Won By An Inns & 107 Runs |
Worcester |
576 |
304 & 165 |
On paper, it should be Surrey. After all, Yorkshire are favourites to be
relegated this season. The weather is set fair, so rain is unlikely to be a
factor. But that's nothing new - the last few weeks have been remarkably dry. As
a result, the pitch at The Oval is expected to take spin. In Adil Rashid and
Mark Lawson, Yorkshire have two of the most promising leg spinners in the
country, so, with Gough, Hoggard and Gillespie completing the bowling line-up,
the Yorkies will fancy their chances. The onus, therefore, will be on Surrey's
batting line-up, but if Newman and Batty can lay a solid first innings
foundation, the home side will win.
C White, J Sayers, A McGrath, Younis Khan, J Rudoph, G Brophy (wk), D Gough (capt),
J Gillespie, A Rashid, M Lawson and M Hoggard.
Trevor Jesty and Tim Robinson
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
YORKSHIRE |
24-27
Jul 2002 |
Won By 6 Wickets |
Guildford |
Yorkshire |
Bat |
382 &
237-4 |
172 &
446 |
24-26
Apr 2002 |
Won By An Inns & 168
Runs |
Headingley |
Surrey |
Field |
510 |
140 &
202 |
5-8
Sep 2001 |
Won By An Inns & 46
Runs |
The Oval |
Yorkshire |
Bat |
516-9d |
235 &
235 |
1-4
Aug 2001 |
Match Drawn |
Headingley |
Surrey |
Bat |
278 &
281 |
204 &
244-2 |
30
Aug - 2 Sep 2000 |
Match Drawn |
Scarborough |
Yorkshire |
Field |
356 &
89-3d |
158 &
68-0 |
12-15
Jul 2000 |
Won By 203 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
226 &
345-8d |
242 &
126 |
15-18
Sep 1999 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
128 &
57-4 |
115 &
213-9d |
1-4
Sep 1998 |
Lost By 164 Runs |
Headingley |
Surrey |
Field |
147 &
135 |
250-9d
& 196-4d |
12-16
Jun 1997 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
549 &
153 |
387 &
115-4 |
6-10
Jun 1996 |
Lost By 221 Runs |
Middlesbrough |
Yorkshire |
Bat |
197 &
274 |
305 &
387 |
10-14
Aug 1995 |
Won By 1 Run |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
409 &
175 |
366 &
217 |
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