SURREY VS SOMERSET SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

First topic message reminder :

SURREY HAVE NAMED A THIRTEEN MAN SQUAD FOR THE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST SOMERSET AT TAUNTON STARTING ON SATURDAY.
Zafar Ansari returns to the Championship squad having recovered from the thumb injury he sustained in the Durham game earlier in the season. Dominic Sibley is named in a Championship squad for the first time this season but Jason Roy is unavailable for selection due to a wrist injury that is being monitored by the medical staff. Matthew Dunn has a low grade hamstring strain and continues with his rehabilitation programme.
Ravi Rampaul,Mark Footitt and Jade Dernbach remain on the treatment table.
Sam Curran has detention
THE SURREY SQUAD TO PLAY SOMERSET AT TAUNTON IN THE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP ON SATURDAY 28TH MAY, SUNDAY 29TH MAY, MONDAY 30TH MAY AND TUESDAY 31ST MAY :
Gareth Batty (capt)
Zafar Ansari
James Burke
Rory Burns
Tom Curran
Steven Davies
Ben Foakes
Arun Harinath
Stuart Meaker
Mathew Pillans
Kumar Sangakkara
Dominic Sibley
Gary Wilson
probably go for burke and sibley to miss out
over to you chaps

Well that was a fabulous day for Surrey - not often we've said that this season

If the final four wickets can get the lead over 300, it's gonna take a heck of an effort from the Somerset batsmen to chase it down

Well played by Ansari and Foakes.  Must have been one of the more hard fought partnerships of 43.  The lead looking a little more healthy now, but I am still thinking that our chance of winning may not be much higher than 50% - if these two have so far batted for 25 overs, that does tend to suggest the prolonged collapse from both sides earlier in the day may not have been the most reliable indicator of the state of the pitch.  But being a Surrey supporter I suppose I am always looking at how we might muck things up!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Guildford - if we lose this, we'll definitely need Simon of Surrey (Jnr) to pour some fairly rapid pints!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Even if we're bowled out for around 100, Somerset will need to score the highest amount in the 4th innings of the game

As Guildford always says, not something that is often done!

Thanks again to Olly for saying it for me. Thanks also to Foakes and Ansari for almost now getting us up to 100. To feel more comfortable, I would like us to add at least another 40 in the morning and get 300 ahead. However, we should already have enough although nothing is guaranteed.

Feel Ansari's role with the ball will be important. After his heroics today, I expect Somerset to treat Batty's bowling with respect and try to block him out whilst looking to go after the bowlers at the other end. They won't want another spinner in tandem with our skipper and so could well look to hit Zaf out of the attack early on. Important he keeps calm and Batty continues to back him.

Whether it's celebrating or drowning our sorrows, we should be keeping Simon of Surrey (Jnr) busy tomorrow night!

Foakes goes 1st over of the day

Batty gone lead 279

Batty gone for 17, which in context of this innings is one of the better scores. Ansari becalmed but battling away on 28....

Pillans out for a duck. Any further runs now are a bonus....

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH

Zafar hits a six

Then takes a single

Ansari takes another single off first ball of the over against Leach. I suppose the reasoning is that any run is worth taking, since they may receive an unplayable ball at any moment. But Meaker survives another 5 balls against Leach.

Meaker joining in on the act to take single off last ball of over. I suppose he has got a batting average of almost 16, so he is not bad for a no 11. Lead rises to 300 and partnership to 21.

Lead 300

And that's your lot

Happy with that. Fully expect us to win from here, for me the question is whether Pillans can come to the party—if he doesn't do anything here, it may well be his final First Class match this season with Dunn and Dernbach coming back soon, as well of the frontliners in Sam Curran, Rampaul & Footit.

It'll take a massive change in the track or excellent batting or terrible bowling or some combo of those for us to chuck this one away.

Good work from Zaf and the tail this morning to eek out those extra 40 odd runs to get upto 300 lead - should be more than enough to win this match

That 35 from Zaf is exactly what we've been missing - a bit of graft in a tough situation

Somerset score 8 leg byes off first two balls!

Think the Pillans taking the new ball experiment needs to stop - like now

Spinners time

Curran dismissed Abel at 46 - 1. Need to take several more top wickets soon to undermine Somerset confidence.....

1 down 9 to go

Need a quick blast from Meaker after lunch then spin at both ends for the rest of the innings

I expect the next session to have a major influence on our season. Need an absolute minimum of 3 more wickets in that session.

Been keeping an eye on this scorecard...

With Tresco going well and Somerset eighty for one ; are you chaps starting to get a bit nervous ?

Yes, Alfie.

Conceding too many (currently exactly 4 an over, 88 off 22) and not taking wickets is never a clever combo. Need to change one of those components and then the other could follow ....

Meaker gets the crucial wicket of Trescothick

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meaker gets Tresco - really needed that. I was about to post saying replace him with Ansari!

Would still like to see Zaf in tandem with Batty soon though.

Meaker then gets Hildreth second ball!

Meaker what did I say

Scoreboard now making much prettier reading for Surrey eyes with 3 down.

Mind you, it means Rogers and Allenby are now together at the crease. Both have form against Surrey ....

Churchy liked my gif only a Surrey win can better that

25 overs in and still no Zaf - is the finger still an issue?

That was certainly two badly needed wickets taken by Meaker. I'm fearing that Ansari is out of action for the rest of this match.

Son of Boris coming on now

jimbobgooner wrote:Churchy liked my gif only a Surrey win can better that

Don't use up your best dance moves too soon, JimBob!

guildfordbat wrote:

jimbobgooner wrote:Churchy liked my gif only a Surrey win can better that

Don't use up your best dance moves too soon, JimBob!

Need a couple of quick wkts here

Curran gets Rogers LBW and Surrey well on top now

Olly

Can't understand why batty and Zafar are getting no enjoy on this pitch now

Somerset are now favourites to win this at tea. Runs coming at a good pace, Surrey unable to even add pressure that way on what surely must remain a bowler's pitch

Can't see us winning a championship game this season after this. this is demoralising

Still a long way for Somerset to go, with their longish tail - but yes I'd have them as favourites at this stage (60/40 in their favour)

Batty picks up Trego and Overton in quick succession - 81 required, 4 wickets left, Allenby the key wicket

Meaker gets him

Blimey, we needed those wickets! Come on lads, just 3 good balls needed