Surrey vs Kent - County championship

First topic message reminder :

Surrey squad -

Third degree
#ansariforengland
Baron
Sibley
Solanki
THE GOAT
Le Roi
Foakes
Norah
Burke
Curran the senior
Curran the junior
Viscount

Solanki and Curran the junior to miss out

coles with t20 figures
and then gets third degree

Third degree gets in and gets out again - need to make the most of getting in as an opener really

50 for harinath

50 for the Baron. Think he needed that.

Sanga's been a lot better for Surrey than some of our previous overseas signings but imo hasn't really delivered to the extent expected. Would like to see a big performance in this match.

100 up

Harinath is not hanging about!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Harinath is not hanging about!

he must have heard you

50 partnership

jimbobgooner wrote:

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Harinath is not hanging about!

he must have heard you

Definitely calmed down a bit.... But some nice strokes from Sanga tho...

Glass half full time: we could rattle up a significant lead by tea tomorrow then skittle Kent and pick up full points from this one.  
Glass half empty: Glam are 105-1 and only need about another 360 to beat Essex.

3 overs left

stumps 144 for 1

144 - 1 at the close.  A positive reply so far.  A draw looking by far the most likely outcome, but if Surrey were to score quickly tomorrow we could put Kent under pressure on the last day.

Taking stumps at 6:15-6:20pm when we lost so many overs yesterday - what's that about?!

Anyways I'd call this match "evenly poised" - Kent won the first half of the day, we won the second half of the day.

If we're to win we need to bat through tomorrow and into Thursday morning, before giving ourselves two and a half sessions to bowl them out.

Will take a lot of effort, but not beyond the realms of possibility. Draw most likely tho

SimonofSurrey wrote:...
 
Glass half empty: Glam are 105-1 and only need about another 360 to beat Essex.

Yep, Glam aren't out of that yet. Essex would have been hoping for at least a couple of wickets by now.

Meanwhile, strange sort of day at the Oval. Kid Curran ended up with the sort of figures that Simon will be drooling about! Even grumpy old me will congratulate him for a fivefer on debut. However, he and our attack generally did seem to concede too many runs after lunch - hope that doesn't end up causing real harm. I've never felt convinced by the balance of this attack - more than happy to eat humble pie on Thursday evening if those concerns prove unfounded.

Anyway, a more than decent reply so far led by the Baron.

Olly wrote:Taking stumps at 6:15-6:20pm when we lost so many overs yesterday - what's that about?!

Anyways I'd call this match "evenly poised" - Kent won the first half of the day, we won the second half of the day.

If we're to win we need to bat through tomorrow and into Thursday morning, before giving ourselves two and a half sessions to bowl them out.

Will take a lot of effort, but not beyond the realms of possibility. Draw most likely tho

Olly - that's not the only option. If we could bowl them out a second time by tea on the last day for a lead of 180 or less, I would expect us to have a dart at it. Similar to win over Leics.

Mind you, we need to get a lot more runs on the board before I get too far ahead of myself. Plus we need 'playable' weather. I'm in London tomorrow anyway. Hope to get along late afternoon.

Surrey haven't really got going this morning.  Harinath out straight away. (That's almost an iron law - if Harinath is not out overnight he gets out straight away the next day.)  Ansari and Le Roi   have got in and then out.  Sanga continues sedately, now wiith Sibley.  224 - 4.  At least that's our first batting point - and hopefully we could get at least a couple more this afternoon.

Sibley goes for 11.    Now 234 - 5 and hopes of a substantial first innings lead - or indeed any first innings lead - looking a tad optimistic.  We've had several itsy bitsy partnerships of around 30 runs this morning, but we really need one of 50+, and preferably a lot more.

* * * *

241 - 5 at lunch.  Lost 4 wickets for just under 100 runs this morning.  Not disastrous, but could have been a lot better.  Looks almost certain Glam will lose their match - they have lost 7 wickets this morning, so overall Surrey look likely to gain quite a few points on Glam from this round of matches.

Where are you all? I'm at the ground. Arrived during tea. Regulars were pessimistic about our chances then and thought we could lose. Even with a deficit of 25, I couldn't see that - unlikely to be enough time for Kent to bowl us out.

Both the Currans bowling well and keeping us in with a shout. Kid has 2 wkts. Bell-D plumb to one that didn't get up and Blake gifting a catch to Sibley at mid off. Currently 20/2. Kent 45 in front.

Make that 3 for the Kid! Denly caught and bowled. The catch itself wasn't too difficult but he he did well to keep his balance and awareness on the follow through. 23/3.

I'm decorating the barracks. 8 wickets on debut for Curran Minor, aged 17. Wow!

Bit of a pessimistic view perhaps but if we avoid disaster and draw this game we'll increase our lead over Glam by 8 points, to beyond what they mathematically could pick from their game in hand.

guildfordbat wrote:Blake gifting a catch to Sibley at mid off.

????

I can understand the confusion as why the hell did Kent go into this game with a tail ender at no3?

Yes, the rain that frustrated us on Monday, may yet come to save us and allow us to get the extra 4 points for the draw...fantastic performance by Curran minor and also by Curran senior to get us that extra batting point.... could be that Kent are either declaring or all out with a lead of say 220 by just before lunchtime tomorrow and leave us either 2 sessions to survive or to try to go for an improbable win....could be a fascinating last day...shame I am at work!

Couple of wickets for Ansari including Billings. Game marching onwards rapidly.

I thought Blake was a reasonable batsman, albeit usually lower middle, and playing mainly in limited overs? Surrey have of course opened with Chris Jordan in the not so distant past1

Certainly looks more and more certain there will be a positive result... It would be good to hear GB's thoughts on what he thinks is an achievable target for Surrey tomorrow? I am thinking anything above 150 would be challenging? a fascinating match!

LondonTiger wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Blake gifting a catch to Sibley at mid off.  

????

I can understand the confusion as why the hell did Kent go into this game with a tail ender at no3?

what a ball up

norah strikes

90 - 7 with two wickets for Norah!

norah gets stevens

Yay!

TC strikes lead 124

norah again
125 to win

2 overs left tonight

son of boris back to opening again

1 over negotiated...

and he gets bowled off the last ball of the day

rodney

Excellent days play from Surrey in the end - Lovely hundred from Sanga, should put whatever doubters he bizarrely had away

Shame the rest failed badly, but the bowling line up superb to bowl a team out for 99 second dig is amazing. Kid Curran - WOW!

Easy win to be wrapped up tomorrow - well played fellas

20 wickets were lost today in scoring about 270 runs. If the wicket is breaking up Surrey may well struggle to reach even this small target. One plus point is that Kent probably can't afford to crowd the batsmen too much

guildfordbat wrote:...

Sanga's been a lot better for Surrey than some of our previous overseas signings but imo hasn't really delivered to the extent expected. Would like to see a big performance in this match.

Olly - is your last comment about ''whatever doubters he [Sanga] bizarrely had'' aimed at this post of mine from yesterday?

If so, I would stress I've never doubted Sanga's ability (or commitment to Surrey for that matter). However, before today he was sixth in the Surrey batting averages with an average of 44. I just found that slightly disappointing. I'm sure he would at least have felt the same.

Obviously good for all with Surrey at heart that his undoubted class shone through today and we got the big performance I was after. Hopefully, he can go some way to repeating it tomorrow.

No no Guildford - there have been vocal sections on Twitter having a go at him. I agree with your point he hasn't quite reached the heights his average say he should

And if Sanga gets another hundred tomorrow, I fancy our chances of making the further 121 we need.

still makes no sense why son of boris opened

SimonofSurrey wrote:And if Sanga gets another hundred tomorrow, I fancy our chances of making the further 121 we need.

Hopefully he doesn't get the chance to come in

Really a 50-60 from one of our bats wins the game - and we bat long (in theory - Curran senior in at 10 and he has a half century this year).

Corporal I'll wager the bar will need to be opened around 2:03pm

Agreed, jimbobgooner. It was imperative to try not to lose a frontline batsman this evening and give Kent a late lift. We goofed. I would have been inclined to send in Curran Senior to keep Third Degree company.

Cheers, Olly. Thanks for clarifying that. I thought and hoped my comment was fair and reasonable etc.

I wasn't aware of the background. I don't tweet and tend to only look on Twitter when you and others here (JimBob's good) point to something interesting.

Onto today's play - although I only watched the final session until about 6 pm. Kent had just gone 6 down then. [Caught up since with cricinfo.]

However, I would say that a lot of what happened after I left was much deserved. Batty was bowling really well from the Pavilion End and deserved more than his one wicket at that time. He was getting turn and bounce which was causing Kent problems - in response to a comment / query from the Corporal, I thought the pitch was offering him assistance but it didn't seem like it was breaking up and unplayable. Essentially fine bowling making good use of the conditions.

I see that Foakes played a significant part in Batty's dismissals. That's only fair too. His glove work always looked neat and tidy. Much quieter than Wilson behind the stumps but very much in control. Foakes won't be keen to give the gloves back.

Although the younger sibling has understandably taken the headlines again tonight, both the Currans bowled well. Taking little away from young Sam but I felt Kent helped him on his way. They seemed too keen to quickly increase their lead rather than have a proper look at what was being delivered.

Olly - you'll be pleased to know that Ansari - bowling from the Vauxhall End - was also on the money. Lovely ball to dismiss Northeast, took the edge as it went away from him and kept on going until well pouched at slip by Roy (should be worth a look on Surrey tv). Ansari also clung on to a sharp return from Billings although that was another example of Kent trying to get into top gear before they were out of second.

Burke wasn't at his best today - bowling a bit too wide too often - and was soon replaced. No real harm done although I was always wary of going into this match with such an inexperienced seam attack.

A great shame that we lost Ansari at the close. That gives Kent some hope and us some anxiety. However, I believe the target is small enough for us to get the win - maybe by about 4 or 5 wickets. In response to an earlier question from Chichester, I would guess Kent should have been aiming to set a minimum target of 180. Very much a guess but you asked!

Yes as much as I am a fan of #ansariforengland I do wonder about the persistence of him opening - particularly on the back of Baron getting runs in the first dig.

Good report Guildford - you heading down tomorrow?

Would be nice to see Third Degree score a fifty tomorrow - he's got in and then out in the 20/30's a couple times since he's been back from injury, feel he needs to turn one of them into a more substantial knock soon

And watching the highlights on Youtube (what is posted so far) - seems Sam Curran really has a great skill to bring the ball into right handers and away from left handers. A deadly ball for the left arm seamer, especially when you have one that goes straight on too. He also appeared to get a wicket with a well directed short ball - Guildford how did he look pace wise?

Also chapeau to Foakes for a lovely piece of work to dismiss Stevens - very tasty. Is Wilson's place in the side under threat?