Surrey vs Derbyshire LV=COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

SURREY HAVE NAMED A THIRTEEN MAN SQUAD FOR THE LV=COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST DERBYSHIRE IN DERBY STARTING ON SUNDAY.
South African Test batsman Dean Elgar will make his Championship debut having joined up with squad on Saturday. Tim Linley is named in the squad having returned from his loan spell with Sussex and Luke Fletcher returns as part of the loan agreement with Nottinghamshire. 17 year old Sam Curran is included in a Championship squad for the first time.
meaker and solanki pay the price for glamorgan OUCH
no idea why dunn isn't included
The Surrey squad to play Derbyshire at the 3aaa County Ground on Sunday 21st June, Monday 22nd June, Tuesday 23rd June and Wednesday 24thJune :
Gareth Batty (capt)
Zafar Ansari
James Burke
Sam Curran
Tom Curran
Dean Elgar
Luke Fletcher
Ben Foakes
Arun Harinath
Aneesh Kapil
Tim Linley
Dominic Sibley
Gary Wilson
depending on the wkt will batty step down if not younger curran and either kapil/burke to miss out
over to you chaps

Blimey, bit of an - ahem - side for the future here. At least five raw youngsters in the mix, not to mention Dean E - henceforth to be known on this Board perhaps as 'Sir Edward'? (https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Edward_Elgar). The batting again looks fragile, but it will be interesting to see how the Viscount goes after his brief but profitable holiday on the south coast, followed by his fourfer on Friday night.

Elgar can bowl decent left arm spin as well as bats - Batty really shouldn't be in the side - I think Burke should be in the side

What news of Burns?

I expect Sam Curran will miss out with Fletcher and Viscount being included. The second to miss out will likely be Kapil then.

1.Harinath
2.Ansari
3.Elgar
4.Sibley
5.Foakes
6.Wilson (wk)
7.Burke
8.Batty (c)
9.Tom Curran
10.Fletcher
11.Linley

Unless Batty sees the chop given Elgar and Ansari both offer spin options.

It will be interesting to see what sort of pitch is used here. Whilst a seamer friendly pitch would give a reasonable excuse to leave Norah out more quietly, it would play into the hands of Derbyshire who have favoured not using a spinner all season.

This should be a good test for our makeshift batting line-up given Footit, Palladino and Wayne White have been bowling well this season.

It's also a big game in terms of our CC season. Amongst all drama of the collision and despair of our T20 campaign we have climbed to second in the CC table. Whisper it quietly but with Derbyshire 4th this game presents a good chance to put a bit of space between ourselves and everyone else but Glamorgan below us.

Thanks for the thread, JimBob.

I think Carlos' side is the most likely. However, given the sort of track normally produced for Debys' home matches, I would be inclined to leave out Batty along with Sam Curran. Also, Batty's lack of recent bowling makes me wonder if he's carrying an injury.

Even if Batty plays, I would bat him at 9 and move Tom Curran up a place. Curran's done enough with the bat in recent weeks to merit that.

In past seasons the Viscount has done well at Derbys (although maybe more at their Chesterfield ground). It'll be good to see him and the Baron - probably the two most popular players amongst members and supporters - playing together for the firsts.

What's happened to Dunn? Rested?

Derbyshire win the toss and bowl first

Carlos's team is spot on

Looks like Zaf has booked in for bed and breakfast again. 3 runs off 36 balls.

That said, he and the Baron are still there which is what matters in the first hour. 27/0 off 13 overs.

Churchy's obviously reading this thread. He's just speculated about ''Tom Curran bumping up to 8 ahead of Gareth Batty in view of his [Curran's] recent good form''.

Olly wrote:What's happened to Dunn? Rested?

very strange that olly he was rested at guildford you would think curran needs more of a rest then him

baron gone

one brings two

52 balls for 13 is only good when you are trying to save a game
sick of saying this stop opening with him

sibley gone

90 for 3 at lunch very good first hour p... poor second one

jimbobgooner wrote:52 balls for 13 is only good when you are trying to save a game
sick of saying this stop opening with him

Totally agree - it's just so slow at the start of every innings. We start at 2-3 an over then have trouble getting up to 4 an over for the maximum points. Compare that with Glamorgan last week. Put him at 7 instead of GB and have Burns and Harinath opening.

5 down now for 149. All the top 5 getting to double figures but no one passing 44 and three of them failing to reach 20 - clearly disappointing.

We'll do well to get 300 from here.

guildfordbat wrote:5 down now for 149. All the top 5 getting to double figures but no one passing 44 and three of them failing to reach 20 - clearly disappointing.

We'll do well to get 300 from here.

here comes olly

burke stumped

Burke gone now for 1 - stumped off Durston. Not listening to Churchy so can't comment on exactly what happened but a very disappointing way to get out in the current circumstances. Burke had one job to do - ''Stay with Gary'' and blew it.

guildfordbat wrote:Burke gone now for 1 - stumped off Durston. Not listening to Churchy so can't comment on exactly what happened but a very disappointing way to get out in the current circumstances. Burke had one job to do - ''Stay with Gary'' and blew it.

living up to his name

a pitch for norah to thrive on?

Ignoring my suggestion and Churchy's speculation, Batty comes in at number 8. Could do with some runs from him today.

wilson brings up the 200 with a monster six

50 partnership

50 for wilson

tea 219 for 6

Useful partnership between Wilson and Batty. Would have been in a heap of trouble without that. Keep pushing to get 300 on the board ....

highest score of the season for norah

and then gets out

duck for tc

now wilson

3 wkts for 3 runs

I'll leave our newest supporter to find the positives out of that!

make that 4 wkts for 4 runs
another defeat coming up

At least we're consistent!!!

Derbys 39/1 off 11 overs. By my calcs, 10 overs left today. Really need at least one more wicket before stumps.

The second wicket never came as Derbys finish the day on 64/1 off 21 overs in reply to our 239 all out.

Still some way to go but Derbys are in the box seats.

Hmm will post my thoughts once I've read up on the days play (have been out playing all day so haven't been able to keep up to date)

Olly wrote:Hmm will post my thoughts once I've read up on the days play (have been out playing all day so haven't been able to keep up to date)

Obviously a poor day for Surrey - not good enough from our batsmen - with our absences we need guys to stand up (ala Baron last game) but the likes of Sibley, Foakes (previously Solanki and today Elgar) have failed to do so. 

Again not sure about the team selection - with Burke coming in at 7 we have a very long tail, which isn't made up for in a "all star" bowling attack really. Where is Dunn??!?!

Again not sure why Batty is selected - he doesn't bowl, which is kinda the whole point of why he should be selected.

All in all a lot of questions, and very few answers at the moment. We must have a good day tomorrow.

I'm also struggling to see the clamour to remove Zaf from the openers spot whilst he isn't the frontline spinner in the side. If Batty is dropped and becomes that (thus bowling more overs in theory) he should be moved to 6 for pure fatigue reasons, but whilst that isn't the case he does a good job as an opener. I know Sibley scored that double hundred a season or two back, but he really needs to start scoring runs more consistently in the side. 

He averages 28.33 in his 21 first class innings with that 242 (which is "ok"), if you take that out he only has 353 runs in 20 innings at an average of 17.65. That simply isn't good enough

Foakes also needs to start scoring runs to justify his place. Simply put in my eyes these players need to start showing why we have them down as "potential stars of the future"

Olly - you're right about the tail. It was very long today. I felt we needed to make a call between Batty and Burke, select only one and play an extra batsman. I would have left out Batty (as explained in my post this morning) and brought in Solanki. I know Solanki wasn't in the squad but that's what I would have done.

Don't know what's going on with Dunn. Rested for Guildford, played in Friday's t20 and then not in the squad for this one with no explanation given. I just may find out something later in the week [bit like on the football threads - my friend's cousin's partner sees his auntie down the launderette, that sort of thing ]. Anyway, will post if I do.

As for Zaf opening ... he's bowling more this season than he ever has and probably more now than Batty and often before him. I haven't been in such a rush to move him down the order as some here but it almost certainly will need to be seriously considered. The fatigue reason you mention is particularly valid and will become more so as his bowling increases. Worth noting that in the whole history of county cricket, there have been very few opening batsmen who have been regular frontline bowlers. I do though feel it's preferable to put off any decision here until we have a full or nearly full deck of players to choose from.

Have some sympathy for relatively new players like Foakes and Sibley coming in with little experience in the batting line up alongside them (that's one reason why I would have plumped for Solanki) but agree they need to deliver and justify their places as Harinath as done.

Vital opening session for us in the morning. We have to win that to get back in this game.

I am not really qualified to comment on ansari as not actually seen him play in first class cricket (I think, if so he made little impression). It does mean that all I have to go on are his stats, which are not overly impressive.

However what really stands out for me is his strike rate at FC level going along at 36. Perhaps less of an issue now partnered with Harinath who is scoring runs, and scoring reasonably quickly, yet even so it can heap pressure on the other batsmen. This was exaggerated when batting with Burns who was equally slow. the openers may have seen off the new ball, but then suddenly both get out and eave the middle order facing 45-2 after 20 overs.

Not saying he needs to be swinging from the hip, but his ODI strike rate suggests he has more shots in the locker than he is willing to use atm.

IT'S RAINING

It'll stop.

Fletcher picks up Slater

And then Madsen

The Fletch and Wils show as they combine for the third time! 96/3. Back in with a shout but need to keep nibbling away at those wickets.

Oh, and a bowling point for JimBob to enjoy!