Surrey vs Worcestershire Rapids T20 Blast Quarter Final

Surrey have announced a fourteen man squad for the NatWest T20 Blast Quarter Final against the Worcestershire Rapids at the Kia Oval on Saturday.
Jade Dernbach, Matthew Dunn and Chris Tremlett are all included and Jason Roy returns to the squad having been rested for the recent 50 over game at Lord’s.
The Surrey squad to play the Worcestershire Rapids in the NatWest T20 Blast Quarter Final at the Kia Oval on Saturday 2nd August:
Gary Wilson (capt)
Zafar Ansari
Gareth Batty
Rory Burns
Steven Davies
Jade Dernbach
Matthew Dunn
Tillikaratne Dilshan
Azhar Mahmood
Stuart Meaker
Robin Peterson
Kevin Pietersen
Jason Roy
Chris Tremlett

The Rapids squad is as follows:-
Mitchell, Oliver, Kohler-Cadmore, Munro, Whiteley, Cox, Leach, D'Oliveira, Choudhry, Shantry, McClenaghan, Andrew, Morris

I expect Andrew and Morris to be the two to miss out, although Dolly's T20 form hasn't been great of late. Interesting to note that this will only be the second time the sides have met in T20 cricket, the first being back in the 2004 quarter final. Solanki and Batty were on the other side back then!

Late getting in so only just catching up with play.

1.Roy
2.Dilshan
3.Pietersen
4.Wilson
5.Burns
6.Mahmood
7.Petersen
8.Ansari
9.Batty
10.Dernbach
11.Dunn - I think Dunn may be insulted by the order named there   

Worcestershire 141/9 from their 20. Dernbach 4-0-22-2 the pick of the figures in what looks an excellent bowling performance.

Surrey 87/2 from 8.4 overs

55 to win from 68   

Le Roi   smashing 52 from 23 balls to set up the innings   

93/3 from 10 overs.

Wilson just out for 12 skying an attempted pull of Leach.

104/4 from 11.1 overs

Pietersen out for 29 (27). At risk of turning this into another Pietersen thread but a horrible shot pulling Leach to mid on.

Good figures for Joe leach, 2-22 off his four. Worcester fighting til the end as ever.

Mix up between Mahmood and Burns with third degree run out at the non-strikers end. Really poor cricket but an excellent bit of fielding from Brett D'Oliveira with a direct hit from cover.

106/5 from 11.4 overs.

Leach has indeed bowled well pack. Looks a smart player. Kept it tight and built the pressure to find some much needed wickets.

He's a whole hearted cricketer and much improved since he made his debut in 2012. Very representative of this Worcester group.

124/6 from 14.3 overs

Mahmood out caught by Leach on the boundary trying to hook McClenaghan.

Sky very generous in describing Colin Munro as fast medium! Lovely bloke but he's military medium!

128/7 from 15.3 overs

Ansari caught behind hooking Munro.

Worcs right in this now with Batty and Petersen at the crease.

Still got Ansari with the short ball pack!

A vital 4 from a Petersen top edge down to fine leg leaves 9 needed from 4 overs.

A very anxious looking Dernbach padded up on the boundary edge!

A big slog sweep for 6 from Petersen leaves 2 needed from 22 balls.

Shocking effort by Surrey once Roy went.  

A Petersen four the very next ball, flat batted down the ground seals it.

As usual we made it harder for ourselves than necessary chasing but applause also deserved by Worcs for keeping their fielders up and bowling their best bowlers early to keep taking wickets and keep themselves in the game. Excellent positive tactics whilst defending a sub par score!

Peterson gets Surrey home. Don't think he's done much with the bat until now for us, so this is a much more telling innings.

Well the talent of Jason Roy was arguably the difference today. No complaints, it was an innings worthy of winning a game and there's no shame in this defeat given the gulf in budgets between counties. The way we fought back was admirable; the spirit of these boys never fails to impress me. If we can keep this group together we'll achieve things. Congratulations Surrey!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Shocking effort by Surrey once Roy went.  

There were some poor shots no doubt, 3 guys in a row out hooking or pulling plus the run out. However credit where due to Worcs for how they bowled after getting rid of Roy. They used their best bowlers when it mattered and kept the field up to force errors. So often in T20 when you see a game get away from a fielding side whilst defending a low score they will let the game meander. Push the field back, bowl youngsters and part timers on the fairly lazy premise of saving better bowlers for the last overs (which the game wont see) and often let poor fielding slip into the mix.

Worcs however rotated their best bowlers well, kept the field up to force good shots for runs and most impressively fielded brilliantly. So often when a game slips the fielding slips but Worcs were really impressive right to the close and never gave up in the field.   

I missed Worcs innings but it seems a fair way to sum the game up is two good bowling performances and two average batting efforts with Roy the difference.

The most telling thing is that almost all the Worcs players were dismissed - many bowled - while almost all the Surrey batsmen got themselves out - most caught and a daft run out (brilliant fielding though). Worcs looked second best throughout but never gave up and would have thoroughly deserved the win had they got it.

For those seeking solace in the budget difference, note that Steve Rhodes said - quite rightly - (homegrown) Jason Roy was the difference. And our two most effective bowlers were Dunn and Jade D.