surrey vs durham county championship

Team Director Chris Adams has named a thirteen man squad for the LV=County Championship match against Durham starting on Friday.
Gareth Batty will captain Surrey in the absence of Graeme Smith. Stuart Meaker returns to the squad having missed the past two games with a thigh injury and Jason Roy is included in the squad.
The Surrey squad to play Durham in the LV=County Championship at the Kia Oval on Friday 10th May, Saturday 11th May, Sunday 12th May, Monday 13th May :
Gareth Batty (capt)
Rory Burns
Arun Harinath
Vikram Solanki
Zander de Bruyn
Gary Wilson
Steven Davies
Jason Roy
Stuart Meaker
Tim Linley
Jade Dernbach
Gary Keedy
Chris Tremlett
keedy and viscount to miss out for me
one thing i would like to see is wilson coming in before the brain with the brain bowling so much i dont thinks its right that wilson comes in after.what do you thing chaps?

Personally I'd play Wilson at 3 followed by Solanki, Davies, Roy and Brain at 7. We saw from the last game that putting your most in form batsman at 7 is stupid as he'll get stranded.

Very pleased Meaker is back and I agree Linley won't play purely because he and Tremlett were both bad against Middlesex and the latter is supposedly better although we're yet to see it.

Excellent thread, JimBob. Even more excellent than usual. If that doesn't get me out of trouble, nothing will!

Keedy to miss out for sure plus one of the seamers. A major difficulty we have is not knowing the fitness of Meaker and Tremlett.

Given Meaker is in the squad, I'll assume he's ok.

Given Tremlett is Tremlett and he's named last of all, I'll assume there might be a problem with him!!

If Tremlett is fit to play, he might edge Linley out as JimBob suggests. However, Adams will need to be fully convinced of Meaker's and Tremlett's fitness to play them both together. If there's more than a bit of a doubt about either, the ever willing and fit Viscount is likely to come in with Tremlett probably carrying the drinks.

As to the batting order, I would go with this top 7 in order: Burns, Harinath, Wison, Solanki, Roy, Davies, de Bruyn. It won't happen though!

Did I read correctly that Smith is out for the season??? Thjough my eyes were play tricks on me at 3 am, Surrey must have the worst luck with overseas players ever, injured not playing to their potential, any decent one we get can only ly for a limited period and isnt allowed to return!!!!! Is Ponting now going to come over earlier???

Anyway lets get back to the match thread, for me it would be Meaker and Keedy to miss out but I fully expect it to be Linely and Meaker

I will be happy if we take 20 wickets for once

Yeah Smith is out for the season by the sounds of it .

Turning pith supposedly at the Oval, Keedy and Batty both play with Tremlett and Dernbach missing - I assume fitness may be an issue? Pleased that Meaker is back though. Durham also playing two spinners but also have 5 seamers with Collingwood and Stokes (who thankfully is OK after being stretchered off last night) while we only have 3 including the Brain.

Surrey bat first, Roy opens, Burns goes for 1

Edit: With our next CC match starting on Wednesday it is probably workload management as to why Tremlett and Dernbach aren't playing. I suppose they have bowled a lot of overs for little reward so far this season on these pitches.

Roy out for 17, 28/2 now. Double

Morning gentlemen -I' m watching at the Oval whilst listening to Churchy.

Even though we won the toss, seems like a bowling morning to me. Grey and overcast with some breeze. Thorp and Rushworth aren't doing anything spectacular but are nagging away well.

Colly now coming on. Conditions should suit him.

Per Churchy - Dernbach is rested whilst Tremlett is not match fit being "stiff and sore" from the Middlesex match. Hmmm ....

Interesting, I suppose the batting first came from wanting to make best use of our 2 spinners, disappointing we opened with Roy it just isn't his game. His shot to get out looked like he was trying to drive on the up and the ball stopped a bit so it looped to the fielder.

As a general rule Durham always bowl well, all their seamers have very good records, we need to be aiming for 300 minimum but need a big innings from someone.

Hi Carrot - guess you saw Roy's dismissal on YouTube. Watching live, the ball just seemed to die on him and balloon up to mid on. Even by Roy standards, he took an age to leave being unable to believe what had happpened.

So it was more like the pitch's fault than roy's? Or was it a false shot? Didn't look full enough to drive on the video

Roy certainly played too soon. Can't really say much more. AL seemed taken by surprise. Churchy initially thought it was a bump ball.

Sun now out and batting looking a tad easier. Solanki is actually very stylish and has moved on to 30. Harinath looking prepared to bat a long time which is exactly what we need ....

Thanks, guildford. Does Harinath ever not look like that?

Solanki out for 38, frustrating he hasn't kicked on. Shall we blame guildford for that one? 89/3. Just seen the video - very tame from Solanki he just poked it straight into short legs hands.

Probably!! To be fair, I believe I mentioned on the Middlesex match thread that Solanki continues to surprise, please and frustrate with his innings. He's regularly got some runs but then got out when seeming well set for even more.

103/3 at lunch. If Solanki hadn't got out when he did I'd have been happy with that morning. Can the Brain make a significant score? I doubt it.

just seen the score that's another game we wont be winning

221 for 4 to 237 all out

My comment in a previous thread about Surrey's batting being strong this season and that Surrey batting collapses being a thing of the past looks to have been a bit premature

Maybe this time around our bowlers will be able to take 20 wickets instead I''m not banking on it mind you!!

My updates came to a sudden end this afternoon when my phone died - just like our batting!

Apart from Burns who fell very early to a good ball from the steady Thorp, the rest of the top six got a start but none really cracked on. The tail didn't so much not wag as beg to be cut off.

Impressed by Collingwood's captaincy. He displayed total confidence in debutant Buckley and gave him a massive spell which brought rewards in the end for the young off spinner and Durham. The Brain though was dreadfully unlucky - being caught by keeper Mustard following a ricochet from a close to the wicket fielder!

Durham generally bowled well and kept it fairly tight. Mind you, we certainly helped them by the end. Leggie Borthwick started off too short but seemed from his body language (regularly tossing the ball from one hand to the other) to believe he was Shane Warne once he had somehow picked up a couple of wickets including Davies with a full toss!

Had a gander at the wicket at lunch - making out I understand such things, a complete pretence as Carrot knows. Anyway, not a touch of green and seemed very dry suggesting it might help the spinners even more as the game goes on. If we are to pull this one out of the fire, Keedy will almost certainly need to be at his best.

My time was up as we were all out and so I didn't see the start of Durham's innings.

If Fists was covering this match he would probably be describing our tail as impressive as that of a Manx cat.

In some ways Solanki has done better than I expected so far, but I think with him and the Brain it's about concentration; reaching stage in career when the co-ordination / reflexes beginning to fall away and it needs mega concentration to keep going. Makes it difficult to compile a long innings.

I forgot how endlessly frustrating it is to follow Surrey

I am following this game today. Reports that Batty has got quite a lot of turn, but no undue alarms for Stoneman and Borthwick this morning.

Any ideas why Borthwick is at 3? I get the impression the pitch is turning and offering help for bowlers but if you bat sensibly it's pretty good.

Durham have been really struggling for batsmen. Borthwick has aspirations to be a genuine all-rounder, and I think they're simply giving him a chance to achieve that.

Two quick wickets for Surrey as the clouds rolled in, including one for Zander de Bruyn.

Follow my updates here - http://deepextracover.com/livematchcentre/10357

Could be better, could be worse at lunch. Shelsey recommends Meaker has another go after lunch....

Hope Batty and Keedy can work steadily through the line up.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Could be better, could be worse at lunch ....

Agreed. However, after the ultimate disasters of yesterday, we need a better than alright performance today ....

As an aside, I can see Borthwick ending up the same way as Schofield. Lacking in control and too expensive to cut it as a leggie. As a batsman, better than a tailender but not truly good enough to make the middle order. [That'll probably be the final jinx for us as he picks up an eightfer second time round! )

guildfordbat wrote: As an aside, I can see Borthwick ending up the same way as Schofield. Lacking in control and too expensive to cut it as a leggie. As a batsman, better than a tailender but not truly good enough to make the middle order. [That'll probably be the final jinx for us as he picks up an eightfer second time round! )

We'll probably sign him when he's 37

Durham 170 - 4 when rain stops play. The Brain dismisses Stokes. We still need a couple more quick wickets.

Can somebody please explain to me what has occurred here???? I left for work yesterday afternoon and we were 220 for 4 and wake up today to see us 237 all out.

Normally im just disappointed when we have our batting collapses but Im actually quite angry this county is going to drive me to

Bit of a comeback from Surrey sees Durham 9 down at the close only 42 ahead. Gareth Batty and Tim Linley are the reason we're still in this. Keedy, by all accounts, bowled pretty terribly.

Sounded like some odd captaincy today when Meaker and Linley came on with 8 overs to go until the new ball after the Brain's spell instead of the spinners who both hadn't bowled for a while at that point.

Here is my close of play report - http://deepextracover.com/home/14309/. A bit rushed in truth... and its always hard to write a report when you're not actually there!

All in all, a good fightback. Feared Durham would have a more substantial lead.

Based just on the stats, some bowlers were a lot better than others though.

Batty leading by example with a fourfer and the Brain presumably using the conditions to fine effect. Linley's two wickets arriving just like London buses.

However, Meaker's radar seems to have been off whilst Keedy again went wicketless. From his CC and CB40 bowling for us, Keedy currently has combined figures of 1-227. Yes, it is early days but that's all I have to go on so far.

No rocket science as to what's needed tomorrow. That tenth wicket quickly, then a good batting day ....

Shelsey93 wrote:Here is my close of play report - http://deepextracover.com/home/14309/. A bit rushed in truth... and its always hard to write a report when you're not actually there!

Hi Shelsey - probably as good a report as possible given you weren't there! Mind you, not as bad as for a garage mechanic I knew who was expected to issue a MOT certificate on the strength of a phone call!!

Had you actually witnessed proceedings, I would have been interested to know if Keedy was unlucky or unthreatening. As per my previous post, his stats are very concerning.

On an anorak point, Batty took 4 wickets. You might want to edit your article which states 3.

guildfordbat wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:Here is my close of play report - http://deepextracover.com/home/14309/. A bit rushed in truth... and its always hard to write a report when you're not actually there!

Hi Shelsey - probably as good a report as possible given you weren't there! Mind you, not as bad as for a garage mechanic I knew who was expected to issue a MOT certificate on the strength of a phone call!!

Had you actually witnessed proceedings, I would have been interested to know if Keedy was unlucky or unthreatening. As per my previous post, his stats are very concerning.

On an anorak point, Batty took 4 wickets. You might want to edit your article which states 3.

Done, and yeah, I can't really help you re Keedy. The commentary team down at The Oval didn't really mention him bowling badly, but Josh, the Surrey expert on Twitter, said that he'd bowled badly.

if keedy cant get a wkt on that pitch something is wrong

burns goes on the stroke of lunch a terrible morning for surrey
first defeat of the season on the way

Hard to disagree with Jimbobgooner. Not even 50 ahead and last pair at the wicket unless Wilson can avoid being part of the swift revolving door which is Surrey's batting below No 6. Maddening also how often top order Surrey batsmen are getting a start but not then cashing in big time (eg Harinath, Solanki and the Brain).

I wouldn't be too downbeat on Surrey's batting this season - with the bat you're probably up there as having done the best of anyone in Div 1.

Durham's batting can be a bit flaky so on a wearing pitch if you can get a lead of 150+ you stand a chance.

Brain out for a painfully slow 20, 89 ahead now with the last two people who can bat in. Need to scrape to 150 lead if possible and hope for the best.

guildford - point taken about Borthwick's bowling but he has a very decent record of 91 wickets at under 30 from 48 matches so far in his career.

davies goes to the mystery spinner
not long to go now

Solanki getting out to collingwood in four day cricket

115 lead with 4 wickets left. Rain stopped play, I assume for the day. With the current form of our tail we will be doing well to get more than another 25 and a lead of 140. Chances of winning this one from here very small - I'd have thought 180 lead would be the minimum needed to give ourselves even a half decent chance.

Continued frustration with Brain and Solanki playing themselves in and then getting out. If Keedy is not careful he will find that on spinning pitches he may get parked and the Burger Van summoned back down the A1 from Durham Uni.

Yes, very frustrating and concerning.

Guess rain tomorrow might just allow our unbeaten run to continue but we shouldn't allow that to disguise the fact that we appear to have serious problems. I'll leave it at that until the match is over ....

Think the ball kept low for a couple of those dismissals today but Davies was probably most criminal in picking out a fielder in the deep just before the rain came.

Bad day all round for me, I've just been at Goodison to witness a gutless surrender - will tomorrow be the same in the cricket?!
150 lead will be nowhere near enough. We tried this tactic of batting first regardless last season, and rarely got to the 4th day to bowl at the oppo! Our bowling isn't going to take 20 wickets to win matches, I'm thinking we might be better off putting the oppo in first, trying to stay in the match, and hoping for a generous dec, or we could go through the whole season without seeing a victory!
Saying that, I'm hoping for a sticky dog tomorrow and Keedy proves us all wrong by spinning us to a win!

The Surrey website clearly has not written off the match tomorrow: "It means a fascinating and possibly nerve jangling final day is in prospect at the Kia Oval."

Corporalhumblebucket wrote: The Surrey website clearly has not written off the match tomorrow: "It means a fascinating and possibly nerve jangling final day is in prospect at the Kia Oval."

If everything goes our way tomorrow, that is just possible. However, even then we shouldn't overlook that we've been second best and incompetent for much of the first three days.

All out 229. Durham need just 181
I wouldn't bowl Meaker at all, half a dozen overs going at 6/7 will lose the game for us before we start!
Over to you Keedy, let's see what you're made of now!!

i agree gooch cant risk meaker unless the tail enders are in
spin twins over to you

Got our early wicket, but it's a cruise for Durham, scoring at 4 and a half an over. We've only 'risked' Keedy for one over.....and they took 5 from that! Desperately need a quick wicket or two immediately after lunch and apply some pressure............can't see it happening meself though!