SURREY VS HAMPSHIRE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

SURREY HAVE NAMED A THIRTEEN MAN SQUAD FOR THEIR SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST HAMPSHIRE AT THE AGEAS BOWL STARTING ON SUNDAY.
Tom Curran is unavailable for selection as he has now joined up with the England Lions squad for their One Day Series against Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A. Mathew Pillans returns to the squad but James Burke is unavailable after having an injection in his ankle earlier in the week.
Gary Wilson is still with the Ireland squad for their One Day Series against Afghanistan.
There is no place in the squad for Jade Dernbach or Matthew Dunn again.
The surrey squad to play Hampshire in the Specsavers County Championship at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday 17th July, Monday 18th July, Tuesday 19th July and Wednesday 20th July:
Gareth Batty (capt)
Zafar Ansari
Rory Burns
Sam Curran
Steven Davies
Aaron Finch
Ben Foakes
Mark Footitt
Arun Harinath
Stuart Meaker
Mathew Pillans
Jason Roy
Dominic Sibley
Harinath and Pillans for me to miss out though Burns will need to get some runs in this game.
jimbo can update us with the hampshire squad
Over to you chaps

Cheers, JimBob.

Footitt must surely come in for Tom Curran. Although that weakens the batting, we're going to need to take 20 wickets (unless God forbid Hants have the opportunity to declare!) and Footitt's inclusion should give us the best chance of doing that.

Agree that Harinath and Pillans are most likely to miss out. However, one other - rather left field - option would be to rest / leave out the recently sick Foakes (even assuming he's ok now), get Davies to keep and bring in one of the two just mentioned. Harinath would obviously bolster the batting whilst Pillans is also no mug with the bat and would at least be an acceptable 6th bowler. Don't think that's likely (it wouldn't be my choice) but it's not impossible. Stewart might just be tempted but only if he is fully convinced by Davies' keeping.

Was gonna say is Foakes over is his illness for definite? If not its him and Pillans missing out

Must win this one fellas

52 - 0.  Good start. I don't know whether it's my imagination, but Surrey seem to have done well with winning the toss in cc matches. Burns hits three fours on the trot....   63 - 0.

Burns 51* (of which 44 in boundaries)   Right. This is where we need Surrey batsmen to carry on building their innings. 89 - 0.

Is this the biggest opening partnership we've had this year?

I believe that's our highest opening stand of the season and only the second beyond 50. Good start but vital to keep going.

With Vince, Dawson and Carberry all missing for various reasons, Hants do look a bit depleted. However, I'm not counting any chickens on day one.

100 partnership

What a excellent session

113/0 at lunch. Excellent session for Surrey. As if to underline our having the psychological edge, Burns hits the last ball of the morning from Crane to the boundary.

Sibley playing the supporting role but I have no issue with that. Both openers are still there and we are well set. A very pleasant change from normally having to play catch up cricket after two hours. As the Corporal said, important to build on this start.

150 - 0  Pressing on steadily.  Last 10 overs gone for 36, so they are not getting bogged down at the moment.

50 for Sibley   Good news for him and for Surrey.  It's been quite a long climb back for him after the euphoria of his double century and the subsequent disappointments.

100 for burns

Yes - an all too rare century by a Surrey batsmen. But mightily welcome when it comes. Looks like after reaching the century he's trying to up the tempo. 192 - 0!

200 partnership

Third degree goes for 122

Very impressive opening stand.

Finally broken when Burns falls for 122.

Sibley and Ansari batting together.  Just have to hope that they don't let the scoring rate stagnate.

Such a shame just two overs before tea

And that's tea.  Somewhat sluggish scoring in that session - but we certainly have the batsmen to up the tempo

Excellent work by Burns and Sibley. I'm not complaining at all but it's a shame that Burns couldn't add another 40 or so - yes, that's being greedy but we need to be greedy when this sort of opportunity arises. As Stewart says, it's not fifties but hundreds that win you matches and big hundreds especially.

In the absence of JimboHammers, I'll give a small shout out to his lad Crane. The young leggie has not tried to do anything dramatic but kept going and kept it steady going at an average of 3 an over, finally getting his reward of Burns just before tea.

So important now that Surrey combine concentration with sensible positivity in the final session. I would settle for 300/3 but definitely not 280/6.

Both Surrey and Notts are currently on 211 -1 off 65.2 overs.

Son of Boris

guildfordbat wrote:In the absence of JimboHammers, I'll give a small shout out to his lad Crane. The young leggie has not tried to do anything dramatic but kept going and kept it steady going at an average of 3 an over, finally getting his reward of Burns just before tea.

... and now Crane captures Ansari, stumped for 5. 231- 2.

Ansari needs a slap for that

253 - 2 and a second batting point. Finch has started positively and meanwhile Sibley is moving through the 90s in a plodding measured way.

Noooooooooooooooo Sibley 99

That is very disappointing indeed for Sibley.   Still a good innings which has built a foundation for the innings. Slightly concerning that wickets beginning to trickle away, but hopefully Roy and Finch will keep the scoreboard ticking over.

shame

Roy falls for (another) duck!

Roy goes for 0 again the good start being thrown away again

303 - 4 and a third batting point. We haven't done that too often recently.

50 for finch

Harinath for Roy next game

332 for 4 stumps must make sure we get the 68 runs off 14 overs

Max batting points would be very welcome but I really want us to go on and put a first innings score of about 470 on the board. That sort of score should increase the pressure on a Hants batting line up missing Vince, Dawson and Carberry.

Forgotten how lovely it felt not to be behind at the end of day one. Excellent efforts from Burns and the unfortunate Sibley to put us in such a healthy position. Good work as well from Finch, in particular, and Davies to keep things going when the swift departures of Ansari and Roy threatened to take the wheels off. [JimBob - understand your frustration with Roy but I'll wait for this game to finish before picking the side for the next one. ]

Not much for JimboHammers to celebrate tonight although some encouragement supplied by his lad Crane. 25 overs on day one for a young leg spinner at 3 an over and a couple of leading wickets is not to be sneezed at. Two economical wickets as well for the Ice Man who kept his cool and didn't melt under the pressure - sorry!

Useful late partnership of 49* has made the day firmly Surrey's, when we had threatened to waste an excellent start.  Very hard luck on Sibley for missing out on the century.

Well this is a nice scorecard to come in from playing 6-a-side cricket in 28 degree heat all day! Excellent first day from Surrey - hoping Finch/Davies get going tomorrow morning, if Finch does it could get messy for Hants quickly

Morning all,

Guildford sounded like Crane bowled really well and deserved
his wickets.

Obviously Surrey's day but if we can take a couple of early
wickets you never know. Dawson a big miss. Such
an important game and he has to play in a 'lions' game. Seems
a bit ridiculous to me but oh well!

Morning Jimbo - well, you've already got part of your wish with Davies falling early.

Morning Jimbo and all - based mainly on some of the commentary plus the stats but, yep, it did seem Crane bowled well. That was important for Hants. His first over was poor as he struggled to find a right length and went for 8 runs (could have been more) but quickly got it right and then did a good job for the team bowling 25 overs in the day. If his first 5 overs had gone for, say, 40 you would have had a massive problem on your hands in yesterday's heat and muggy conditions trying to make up his overs. I always felt it was likely he was going to end the day with a couple of wickets, deserved them.

You should be aiming to get us all out for around, say, 400 to 410. Was going to say I think anything less would be unrealistic on your part - however, Davies has just gone to the Ice Man. [Olly - don't you think Joe Root seems to be modelling himself on Davies, at least as regards getting out softly when appearing well set?] I'm looking for 470 although that seems some way off now, a lot resting on Finch.

Agree with you about Dawson and the Lions. Same with us and Tom Curran.

Trundling along at about 1 an over at the moment.  Will probably struggle to get the final batting point unless Finch suddenly takes off. But as Guildford commented yesterday it would probably be better to concentrate on getting a big overall total.

I guess there's also a balancing act - as Surrey can deny Hants a second bowling point if they bat out the next few overs without losing a wicket.

376 - 5 after 110 overs, so 4 batting points for Surrey and 1 bowling for Hants.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Trundling along at about 1 an over at the moment.  Will probably struggle to get the final batting point unless Finch suddenly takes off. But as Guildford commented yesterday it would probably be better to concentrate on getting a big overall total.

I guess there's also a balancing act - as Surrey can deny Hants a second bowling point if they bat out the next few overs without losing a wicket.

A balancing act as you say, Corporal.

Even with only 4 batting points out of a possible 5, JimBob will still be demanding a bar extension for Wednesday night if we win. However, if it's only a draw, he won't be happy.

Finch goes for 86.    Sounds like a responsible innings for the team.  Partnership 45.  We haven't exactly set the world alight this morning and could do with getting another 50 or so.

If you're 208 without loss and fail to get maximum batting points, it's a poor effort! BUT, if the batsmen have seen something in the pitch and we get the 20 wickets needed for victory, then I'll eat my words!
Finchey now goes to 'Jock' McLaren (notice the Porridge reference Guildford??!)
Keep it going with Ice Berg............someone will get it..........evenshually!

Another stumping off Crane - to dismiss Curran. 3 for 99 off about 34 overs looks like a very good effort for a leg spinner in a first innings.  It's probably particularly pleasing to get a couple of stumpings.

That partnership was 31.  Again, not too bad but could have been a bit better. Foakes has played a very restrained hand in this innings - I guess he may continue in that vein and hope that Batty can score a quick 20/30.

Norah hits Frasier for six and four to go to lunch...............and a declaration perhaps?!

Brisk 30* partnership at the end has just about made it Surrey's morning - but Hants stuck to their task well and never let the scoring rate get out of hand.

thegooch7 wrote:Norah hits Frasier for six and four to go to lunch...............and a declaration perhaps?!

Not yet, Goochie. Keep 'em out a bit longer. I still want my 470.

Liked the 'Jock' McLaren reference. Btw, my mother-in-law met Christopher 'Lukewarm' Biggins recently. Rather than ask him about Porridge as I hoped, she quickly scurried away complaining to others about how loud he was!

450 up as forfor the 5th batting point