WORCESTERSHIRE V SURREY at
Worcester (LVCC1), 6-9 JUNE 2007
All of the pre-match headlines are about Graeme Hick, who is just 64 runs
away from posting a 40,000-run first-class career. In some ways it is fitting
that centre stage is being given over to Hick (451 runs at an average of 50.11),
who has been the only batsman to score a championship hundred for Worcestershire
this season. It helps to gloss over the fact that this match is Division One's
basement battle, or as someone unfairly described it to me the other day -
Watford v Charlton.
The betting market reflects the chasm between seventh-placed Lancashire, who
are 7-1 to win the title, and Surrey (60-1) and Worcestershire (160-1).
Below Hick, in a distant second, third and fourth in the Pears' batting
averages are Vikram Solanki (26.44), Phil Jaques (22.55) and Stephen Moore
(22.22). But, as disappointing as those three have been with the bat this
summer, Ben Smith and wicketkeeper Steve Davies have fared even worse.
Worcestershire's bowling attack has also performed woefully. Kabir Ali (19
wickets at 27.52 runs apiece) has been the sole threat. At the other end Dewald
Nel has come in and done adequately, while Gareth Batty has stemmed the flow of
runs without looking threatening.
Azhar Mahmood needs 6 wickets for 500 f-c career wickets and Scott Newman needs
135 runs for 5,000 f-c career runs. For Worcestershire, Gareth Batty has 291
first-class wickets, while Graeme Hick has 39,936 first-class runs and Roger
Sillence has 981.
Surrey's 13-man squad includes Stewart Walters and Jade Dernbach, but it remains
to be seen whether heads will roll in order to accommodate them. Nayan Doshi has
been dropped, but Jimmy Ormond (hamstring) and Mohammad Akram (calf) are both
out of contention due to injury.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Kent |
30 May - 2 Jun 2007 |
Lost By An Inns & 79 Runs |
Whitgift |
166 & 319 |
564-5d |
Sussex |
16-19 May 2007 |
Match Drawn |
Hove |
626-3d |
365 & 372-3 |
Warwickshire |
9-12 May 2007 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
400-1d |
329 & 5-0 |
Lancashire |
'2-4 May 2007 |
Lost By 7 Wickets |
Old Trafford |
284 & 120 |
315 & 90-3 |
Hampshire |
25-28 Apr 2007 |
Lost By 35 Runs |
The Oval |
203 & 467 |
481-9d & 224-1d |
Worcester has not been a lucky ground for Surrey in recent years. Last season's
victory there was the first enjoyed at New Road by the Brown Caps since 1983.
So, this is a potential banana skin. As awful as Vikram Solanki's men have been
this summer, the visitors aren't in the best of cheer either. On paper, however,
Surrey are by far the stronger of the two sides.
P Jaques, S Moore, V Solanki (capt), B Smith, G Hick, S Davies (wk), G
Batty, Kabir Ali, D Bollinger, N Malik and D Nel.
Ian Gould and Allan Jones
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
WORCS |
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 |
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