SURREY VS WARWICKSHIRE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

First topic message reminder :

SURREY HAVE NAMED A 14 MAN SQUAD FOR THE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST WARWICKSHIRE AT EDGBASTON STARTING ON SATURDAY.
Kumar Sangakkara returns to the squad after playing in the recent Caribbean Premier League and winning the competition with the Jamaica Tallawahs. Gary Wilson and Arun Harinath are both named in the squad.
There is no place in the squad for Ravioli
The Surrey squad to play Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Saturday 13th August, Sunday 14th August, Monday 15th August and Tuesday 16th August :
Gareth Batty (capt)
Zafar Ansari
Rory Burns
Sam Curran
Tom Curran
Steven Davies
Ben Foakes
Mark Footitt
Arun Harinath
Stuart Meaker
Jason Roy
Kumar Sangakkara
Dominic Sibley
Gary Wilson
So the question is will Footitt share drink duties with Harinath and Wilson?
Over to you chaps

Warks do bat very deep, especially against us.  On the other hand we have had only one over of spin so far, so I would perhaps be a little more optimistic than Guildford that we may be able to tie down the run rate while continuing steadily to work through the wickets.

Took too long to finish my last post - Meaks gets Vivian for a second! And a bowling point for JimBob!

Evenly poised now as the Corporal says.

Remember though that Evans would love to show Surrey that Adams was wrong to release him whilst several other Bears can more than hold a bat.

Batty and Zafar should have been on by now

Just about Surrey's session that

We need to win this afternoon one as well to stay in this you'd think tho - agree with Jimbo that Zaf/Batty should've had at least a spell between them by now

Sam Curran gets Evans early in the afternoon session

99-4

Sam Curran with two more wickets. 101-6

Great post lunch session so far...101-6 and Ricki Clarke out too

Hopefully Ronnie isn't open all hours

Just as Guildford feared about Ronnie

Letting them off the hook as usual. Why isn't Batty bowling at all?

Baby face gets Bell

5 wkts for Sam

Lead of 5 runs will it make a difference

Hard to imagine two more contrasting totals of around 250 all out. We threatened to score much more (albeit funereally slowly) a couple of times and must have felt we fell short, they will feel they recovered to near parity.

Without being too Surrey-centric, I reckon the result is in our own hands. I think we are capable of outscoring then outbowling them in the second innings. We need more of the spirit of the Middlesex game and less of the 'oh no, it's Warwickshire again!'. A masterclass from Sanga wouldn't go amiss, either. Nor would a little gem of an innings from Le Roi, to remind the England selectors he's pretty good at the longer form of the game, too.

78.5 overs and Batty didn't bowl a ball - is he playing the specialist number 9 role again?

Sibley goes in the last over of the day

Fascinating game.

Some disappointments today - Ronnie opening up the shop when we had 'em 101/6 and the late loss of Sibley - but we've still done well to be at about level pegging. especially to Sam Curran for not only a fivefer but an economical one, so important in a low scoring game.

I don't normally like the use of a nightwatchman. I feel the captain should back his batsman and the batsman should back up his team. Too often as well the nightwatchman gets out quickly to give the scoreboard a worrying look and a boost for the bowling side. However, I could appreciate it tonight. Sanga is the biggest gun in our armoury. If he can fire tomorrow, it will help us enormously. Had he gone in and got out this evening, the Bears would have thought the honey jar had been opened for them. Therefore, best not to have risked him and instead ensure that he goes to the wicket fresh tomorrow. It'll be a real bonus if Meaker can stick around and get to 30 before that.

I'm still anxious and feel we're a batsman light. You don't need six bowlers if you have five who are bowling well (whether Batty thought that today, I don't know). For all the commendable fight and skill we've displayed today, Warks have a lot of class and experience - that's why I so want Sanga to come to the party and match it.

Fascinating match - at least we are competing hard.  Well bowled Sam Curran.     I make Warks favourites due to our apparent complete inability to play Patel. Nevertheless, we are clearly in with a reasonable chance if the batsman can build a competitive total.  Pity we do appear to be a batsman light - tho at least specialist batsman Batty did get a useful 27. 

Looks highly probable there will be a positive result in the Notts/Hants game. (Hants well on top at the moment) so there's an added reason for us to show maximum application.

I'd say we're just on top in this match, but it's only like 55/45 type on top.

If we can get upto a lead of about 250+ odd, then Warks will have to score the highest innings of the match last dig - something very rarely done. Think that has to be the aim at least

Good start to day 3 so far - Meaker sticking around with Burns as the lead is pushed past 50....

70 - 1. Burns 35* Meaker 19*

Good first hour. Same again for the next please!

Burns is out for 49

Lead is now 98

112 - 2 at lunch, and Meaker has batted all morning, serving as lunch watchman as well as night watchman.  Scoring rate just under 2.5, so not fast but I would certainly settle for that. Encouraging that Sanga has looked to score off Patel, so we haven't been totally becalmed.

Good innings from Burns in context of low scoring match.

Good morning session for Surrey - Meaker doing a fine job so far, the longer into the day he can go, the more he will tire the Warks attack allowing the likes of Roy/Davies/the Currans to hopefully make quick runs (fingers crossed!)

112/2 at lunch. Definitely our morning.

Meaker still there and now on 29. He's done a splendid job blunting their attack and riding shotgun, firstly with Burns and now Sanga. Meanwhile, Sanga had advanced to 18.

We're in a good place but important to not get carried away. Starting out again after this interval will be another test of Meaks' concentration.

Afternoon all lead goes past 150

Afternoon, JimBob and all.

Meaks now on 40 - huge and valuable effort. As Church has just said with reference to Patel - ''even spinners get tired''. I would add - especially if they're not taking wickets.

Patel gets meaks

Meaker goes for 41 - an excellent effort

Important now that the ''proper'' batsmen don't let Meaks' platform go to waste.

England selectors have apparently been in touch with regards Meaker taking the number 4 spot this winter

Excellent innings from Meaker.  

We have to allow for the possibility that the pitch has eased for batting, so still a long way to go.  Important that Ansari gets a decent score after his recent poor run of form in the cc.

Hants have now lost four wickets, but with a lead already over 320 look likely to set Notts a very large target.

Zaf is currently 16 off 12 balls

CALM DOWN ZAFAR

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Zaf is currently 16 off 12 balls

CALM DOWN ZAFAR

I thought my laptop was playing up when I saw that!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Excellent innings from Meaker.  

We have to allow for the possibility that the pitch has eased for batting, so still a long way to go.  Important that Ansari gets a decent score after his recent poor run of form in the cc.

Hants have now lost four wickets, but with a lead already over 320 look likely to set Notts a very large target.

Afternoon Corporal - Church and the Radio Brum guy said earlier today that there seemed less movement off the wicket for the seam bowlers.

If there has to be a winner in the Hants v Notts match, I would rather it be Hants. To a reasonable extent, that would still leave our future in our own hands as we have to play Hants at home next month. Also, I'm concerned that Imran Tahir might pull the odd rabbit out of the hat for Notts before the season ends.

Fully with you re Meaker and Ansari.

50 for kumar

Lead goes past 200

50* partnership - at a very good lick. Maybe Zaf has had a bit of psychological coaching and decided there's no point in poking around.  Lead extending past 200.

JimBob - all good at the moment but we really need more than 50 from Sanga and definitely a lead of more than 200.

Rough guesses (I'm assuming the pitch has eased/ is easing) - 240 or less would favour the Bears, 275 would probably be about par, 325 would favour us, 375 would favour us a lot. Take your pick as to where we end up - but remember we're not where we ideally want to be yet!

Zaf plays out a maiden to Patel

That's more like it son #digin

Oops

And then gets out

208/4 now.

Remember we were 202/4 first dig before we crashed to 252 all out.

We're still in a good place but mustn't waste it.

Patel back on Warwickshire sniff a chance

lead goes past 250

Lead is upto 250 runs

Another excellent session for Surrey - a real chance to take full command of this match in the final session - I would look to get to a lead of 320-330 before throwing the bat to try reach 375-400 and having a few at them tonight if possible

That's three partnerships in a row of about 60, plus the current one of 42+.  Pleasantly surprised by the application and determination being shown. Considering his recent poor form, it was a useful knock by Ansari that helped to increase momentum. The draw coming into the equation as a possible result.  Given that it looks increasingly improbable that Notts will win it may be that Surrey will not want risk giving Warks a gettable target with a pitch that is presumably easing out.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Another excellent session for Surrey - a real chance to take full command of this match in the final session - I would look to get to a lead of 320-330 before throwing the bat to try reach 375-400 and having a few at them tonight if possible

Pretty much agree, Olly. An excellent session - we dug in again, then moved the score along and only lost one ''proper'' batsman plus the nightwatchman.

Just a word of caution. We still need to get from our current lead of 255 to one of 320-330. Lose a couple of wickets soon after the restart and life won't look nearly so rosy. However, if we can get that sort of lead I agree with you about then rapidly trying to extend it and having, say, five overs tonight. They'll be worried Bears if they end today with one in the hutch.