WORCESTERSHIRE V SURREY
at Worcester (LVCC2), 8-11 AUGUST 2006
With rain forecast to arrive on Thursday, this top of the table clash might
well be another of those Worcestershire v Surrey encounters to end up a damp
squib. That was the case two years ago when, by rights, Worcestershire should
have taken advantage of the visitors' depleted bowling resources. As it was,
Graham Thorpe helped his side hold on for the draw with a fair amount of
assistance from the elements.
As Surrey have already discovered to their cost this season, a key man for
the home side will be Phil Jaques, who has made 1,046 championship runs at an
average of 95.09 this summer, despite missing two matches in order to represent
Australia A.
Like Jaques, Vikram Solanki and Ben Smith have posted double centuries in
four-day cricket this term, plus highly-rated wicketkeeper Steven Davies came
close when he made 192 against Gloucestershire at Bristol in early June. All in
all then, the Black Pears possess a formidable batting line-up; especially when
you think that I have cared to ignore the presence of a certain Graeme Hick and
the talented Stephen Moore.
With the ball, Matt Mason has led the way for Worcestershire again this
season. Were it not for injuries he would, in all probability, now have fifty
championship wickets to his name. The bulk of the bowling burden has been
shouldered by Zaheer Khan (63 wickets at 25.74 runs apiece) and Gareth Batty,
who must surely have been better than his average of 36.80 suggests. Like Mason,
Kabir Ali has also had his injury problems. To date the pair have only been in
the same side in three out of 11 championship outings.
Alistair Brown needs 135 runs for a thousand for the season, Mark Butcher
requires fifteen runs to reach the same landmark and Rikki Clarke wants
thirteen. Clarke is also five wickets away from 100 in his f-c career. Mark
Ramprakash needs 152 runs for 2,000 for this term and Ian Salisbury is four
wickets away from taking 50 for the season. For Worcestershire, Phil Jaques has
24 f-c hundreds to his name, while Vikram Solanki has 19.
Surrey have added Neil Saker to the eleven that beat Northamptonshire at the
Brit Oval. If Saker is to pressed into action, it appears that one of Nayan
Doshi and Ian Salisbury will miss out. With Salisbury visably struggling in the
field last week with a sore knee, he would seem to the most likely to make way
of the two.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Northamptonshire |
2-5 Aug 2006 |
Won By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
669-5d &
65-3 |
347 & 386 |
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 |
Surrey have not won at New Road since 1983, so I am ruling out a Brown Caps
victory. But, with rain forecast to play a part this week, I am not prepared to
back Worcestershire. So, I am sitting on the fence on this one.
P Jaques, S Moore, V Solanki (capt), B Smith, S Davies (wk), D Mitchell,
G Batty, R Sillence, Z Khan, M Mason and M Malik.
Peter Hartley and Barrie Leadbeater.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
WORCS |
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 |
Worcestershire |
Field |
155 &
187-8 |
400-4d |
20-23
Apr 1999 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcestershire |
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 |
Worcestershire |
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 |
Worcestershire |
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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