SURREY VS MIDDLESEX ROYAL LONDON CUP

Surrey have named a unchanged eleven for the game at Lords
As you can guess chaps I'm out early tomorrow so no time to wait for churchy to pull his nuts out of his pocket
Team
Jason Roy
Aaron Finch
Stephen Davies
Dominic Sibley
Rory Burns
Benjamin Foakes
Sam Curran
Tom Curran
Gareth Batty
Stuart Meaker
Jade Dernbach
Over to you chaps

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH Ansari back in the squad now I'm not sure if he will play instead of Meaker?

jimbobgooner wrote:ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH Ansari back in the squad now I'm not sure if he will play instead of Meaker?

Hi JimBob - I meant to mention last night that Ansari was with the other players on the outfield before yesterday's game. There were no obvious signs of any incapacity.

My inclination would be to stick with the same RL 50 team, let Ansari rest and recover further today and bring him back on Thursday* for the CC match at Lord's.

Whatever the final eleven selected today, the Burger Van can get ready to watch Homes Under The Hammer!

* Remember all CC matches start on a Sunday apart from those that don't.

I wonder whether Ansari might play ahead of Sibley? Gives us another bowling option and shouldn't weaken the batting.

Hi James - that's an interesting suggestion. It wouldn't be my choice today but I accept there's a lot of logic behind it.

Meanwhile, we really need an in-depth weather forecast from the Corporal.

I'd be inclined to stick with the same team. Sibley's been doing well so I would keep him in the team.  Maybe only play Ansari instead of Meaker if the pitch looks like taking spin.

It's been wet most of the morning in West Kent in addition to the persistent rain yesterday evening and overnight.  So things could be fairly sodden at Lords. But, assuming conditions improve enough for perhaps a delayed start at Lords, I reckon they will then get a game.

PS Church reporting that it's raining heavily at Lords atm.

Somerset 129/1 off 27 v Hants.

Sussex 9/3 off 7 v Kent.

Relevant to Surrey because .... not only do we need to get two points with a win today to qualify for the knock-out stages but Hants or Kent need to drop one point.

A Kent win already looks pretty much guaranteed with Sussex doing us no favours whatsoever.

More even going at the Ageas Bowl although we could have done without Jimbo's young pal Crazy Legs Crane having just dismissed Jayawardene for 55.

That said, all academic if we don't have a completed game at Lord's ....

Obviously subject to no worsening of the weather, Surrey v Middlesex is going to be a 33 over game beginning at 4:15.

Raining again on a lighter note churchy has just apologised

Somerset stuttering - 176/4 off 37. Crazy Legs Crane just finished his 10 on the reel, 2/48 - proper bowling. Hildreth faffing - 7 off 20.

Meanwhile, Church tweeting endlessly about Johnny Barran - annoying.

Les Dawson also for once playing the right tune at the Ageas Bowl - a miserly 0/12 off 5 overs.

Somerset 250/9 off their 50. Pretty feeble finish given they were 150/2 off 30 - as a rule of thumb, they should have doubled that total.

A bit of a recovery from Sussex against Kent but doubt it'll be enough after a horror start.

Meanwhile, in anorak news our game has to start by 7:49 tonight to allow both sides the minimum of 10 overs ....

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:So things could be fairly sodden at Lords. But, assuming conditions improve enough for perhaps a delayed start at Lords, I reckon they will then get a game.

There are any old delays, and then there are real delays...

Finally getting a toss. 18 overs per side.

Ansari in for Sibley

And James too modest (you must never be modest on a public forum, James! ) to boast that he called the team perfectly. Zaf plays, Sibley watches Flog It with Burger Van!

BEN FOAKES YOU ARE RIDICULOUS

George Bailey moaning about the rain - he does realise his team need to stay out there and win this match also doesn't he?

Idiot

Tom Curran - 3 overs, 3 wickets, 16 runs

Magnificent bowling

Haha Guildford. I'll remember that next time.

Surrey going very well. With Kent having won, a Hampshire win puts things out of our control though.

Regardless of the outcome for us tonight in this competition, we can take a lot of heart from how well we're now playing. That should help in the closing weeks of the County Championship.

102 from 16 needed to win this match - if we can't do that we don't deserve to go through

Looks like Somerset-Hampshire is going down to the wire

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:102 from 16 needed to win this match - if we can't do that we don't deserve to go through

Looks like Somerset-Hampshire is going down to the wire

Hants now 7 down needing another 59. Somerset currently favourites there.

Roy goes first ball

Well

And now Davies

Well well

2-2 off 2 overs

Surrey this is pure rubbish

Hants need 38 off the last 3 overs with 3 wickets left ....

A real mixed bag from Groenewald leaves Hants needing 26 off 14 balls but only 2 wickets left ....

More worried about us winning this one first Guildford!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:More worried about us winning this one first Guildford!

Yeah, taking nothing for granted at Lord's but it'll be over at the Bowl first ....

F*cking Ollie Rayner and his god awful off spin - always picks up wickets against Surrey!!!!

It's alright - I've just put a tenner on Middlesex to win as they weren't favourites on Skybet. So congratulations on Surrey making the quarter finals.

Olly - a bit off topic but I noticed you posting the other day about how bad a commentator Russel Arnold is. I normally reserve my own criticisms of commentators to the oafish and lazy Botham. However, another one who spouts drivel most of the time and goes under the radar too often for being very poor is Dominic Cork.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:F*cking Ollie Rayner and his god awful off spin - always picks up wickets against Surrey!!!!

Olly - I have told you that before. Roy should have listened to me about Toblerone Jones as well.

guildfordbat wrote:Olly - a bit off topic but I noticed you posting the other day about how bad a commentator Russel Arnold is. I normally reserve my own criticisms of commentators to the oafish and lazy Botham. However, another one who spouts drivel most of the time and goes under the radar too often for being very poor is Dominic Cork.

Yes he is very bad too - clearly when Dernbach pulled up earlier it was because he hit umpire Cook's elbow - not according to smartie pants Cork, he lost his grip on the ball?!

7 runs an over - but would like Ansari/Foakes to start looking for the boundaries now - don't wanna be taking this to the last over if we can help it....

A 6 and two 4s off Sowter to reassure Olly.

Ours to lose from here ...

Thank you Ben Foakes

17 off that over from Sowter.   Foakes and Ansari in an excellent partnership

Foakes - what a star!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Foakes - what a star!

I let out an audible "phwoar" when he hit that straight drive

5 needed off last two overs.

Foakes (and Ansari)

i have no fingernails left

Have to admit of the four possible North group opponents, Northants probably one I would've chosen...(I know they're heralded as white ball specialists, but a div 2 side, struggling financially)

disgraceful that the semi final draw has been done already

JDizzle wrote:It's alright - I've just put a tenner on Middlesex to win as they weren't favourites on Skybet. So congratulations on Surrey making the quarter finals.

Cheers JD. 

Bit off topic but ''nice problems'' for the CC match at Lord's starting on Thursday.

The CC eleven last time out for the win at Hants (sorry Jimbo ) was:

Burns
Sibley
Ansari
Finch
Roy
Davies
Foakes
S Curran
Batty
Meaker
Footitt.

We need to squeeze in Tom Curran. Also - I don't see how he can but I suspect Stewie would like to also find a place for Dernbach. As JimBob would say, over to you chaps?

Wouldn't be surprised to see them give Meaker a rest for Tom Curran personally

Various options - Tom Curran in for Sam Curran? (Quite possible) Tom Curran in for Batty  (not very likely) Tom Curran in for Meaker (unlikely?) Team as listed above (possible - after all Stewart has talked more than once about giving TC a rest)