SURREY VS WARWICKSHIRE LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

And we're back
Surrey have named a 12-man squad for the Club’s season opener, an LV= County Championship trip to Edgbaston to play reigning county champions Warwickshire.
Led by Club captain Rory Burns, the twelve features Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes, both recently returned from England’s Test Match tour of the West Indies – as well as returning overseas seamer Kemar Roach, who starred for England’s opposition.
South African batter Hashim Amla is also selected in the squad, starting his third consecutive year with the Club.
From an injury perspective, Matthew Dunn is unavailable with a side strain, Gus Atkinson with a hip issue related to a recent illness, and Conor McKerr with a fractured rib.
Ben Geddes has a broken thumb and Cameron Steel recently suffered a concussion. Tom Lawes is recovering from a recently diagnosed mild rib stress injury.
Tom Curran suffered a stress fracture to his back last November while in Sydney and is still recovering whilst Sam Curran played in pre-season and is continuing his back to playing programme as overseen by the ECB.
Australian seamer Dan Worrall is yet to arrive at the Club as he deals with family issues in Australia.
Chris Jordan is at the IPL, while Jason Roy is taking a break from the game.
Laurie Evans has retired from red ball cricket.
There is no place in the squad for either Amar Virdi or Dan Moriarty
Full Squad:
Rory Burns (captain)
Hashim Amla
Jordan Clark
Ben Foakes (wicket keeper)
Will Jacks
Jamie Overton
Ryan Patel
Ollie Pope
Kemar Roach
Jamie Smith
James Taylor
Reece Topley
Disappointed that baby face is being mucked about again by the ECB, just last week the club were stating that he would play as just a batsman
Probably Taylor to be on drinks duty for this one.
Over to you chaps

Welcome back Jimbob! Hope you wintered well

Going to need Roach to come in firing, tough to see 20 wickets coming easily for this bowling attack in my opinion. Not a lot of control beyond him and Topley.

But, the flip side is we likely have Overton coming in at 9 (?), which is a very very strong batting lineup.

Cue 178 all out

Hi JimBob - yep, good to be back and many thanks for doing this once more.

I've commented on the Sam Curran situation on the 2021/22 Ashes thread. Cutting to the chase, we were never going to be able to squeeze Curran, Jacks, Patel and Smith into the same side once Burns, Amla, Pope and Foakes were all back and available.

Jacks really has to play as the token slow bowler to call on if necessary. A decision had already been taken that (weather) conditions would favour a seam heavy attack at the beginning of the season and so Virdi and Moriarty wouldn't feature.

I don't know how much of the decision to leave out Curran is down to the ECB. However, for me at least, it's the best decision for Surrey. Smith was in great batting form at the end of last year whilst Patel has scored a shedload of runs in the pre season games. Therefore, they're both ahead of Curran in my pecking order given he can't currently bowl.

You could be right about Taylor missing out although I think it may be a head to head between Patel and Smith. Very tricky. Five seamers is normally unnecessary but Surrey might want that many to share the bowling out, particularly with several matches coming up in quick succession.

If you push me, I'll say Smith ends up on drinks duty.

Cheers jimbob
I think Taylor will miss out as well, Patel can bowl a bit of medium pace if a 5th one is needed

Surrey win toss and bat
Overton misses out

Blimey jimbob, that's a curve ball Overton carrying the drinks! I know normally win the toss and bat, but in these conditions in early April??!!

That's a BIG vote of confidence in Taylor. Not only being in the team but being one of just four frontline bowlers.

I'm not surprised he's been picked - my understanding is that he bowled well and impressed in the pre season games - but thought we would bump up the bowling by (unusually) having five seamers.

Overton may well have been the weakest of the seamers in the 12 man squad but even going with four, I had expected his batting (per Olly's post last night) and fielding (bucket hands- eh, JDizzle) to get him the nod.

Anyway, I reckon Taylor will do ok. Sure hope so. When we do bowl, certainly going to be in serious trouble if he gets the yips and Topley goes off crocked!

Isn't there a live stream for this match?!

thegooch7 wrote:Isn't there a live stream for this match?!

I'm struggling to find. Grrrh.

I think you need to download a Warks CCC app.

Olly / JimBob - can you help please?

I haven’t been able to find one chaps I’m afraid - will post if I do

Thanks chaps, I'll listen to the radio commentary then

Hoping. Try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYiGzlfwqgA

Patel in one day mode

50 for Patel

jimbobgooner wrote:Patel in one day mode

Just continuing his pre season form. 50 up for Patel at about a run a ball.

Burns on 11 from 32 balls. That’s fine for now.

Patel very much on hundred before lunch watch! Wonder if that has ever happened on opening day…

100 partnership

the last ball before lunch

jimbobgooner wrote:the last ball before lunch

Shaking my head in agreement with you, JimBob.

Still our morning by some way but that wicket will give Warks a real lift over lunch.

Patel playing very well and looking to be at the top of his game. Important for him and Surrey that he gets to three figures and then adds some more.

Warks are missing several of their frontline bowlers and so, on paper, we look the stronger side. However, that's often been the case against other opponents in recent years when we've ended up losing on grass. Vital we make every advantage count in this game.

I'm away this afternoon but should be back before the close.

3 down at stumps a disappointing day after that start

jimbobgooner wrote:3 down at stumps a disappointing day after that start

Yeah, from 117/0 to 126/3 either side of lunch was hugely disappointing although Pope's quickfire undefeated 40 probably means we edged the rain interrupted day.

Credit to Patel for carrying on his form from the pre season games but having reached 75, he really needed to keep going and go big.

Tight morning of cricket. 72/2 in the extended session (trying to make up some time for that lost yesterday). Surrey go to lunch at 240/5.

Hannon-Dalby and Briggs were the two best bowlers on show and deservedly took a wicket each. Pope skittled by the seam of H-D for 58 whilst Smith feathered (he didn't like the decision) one behind for 10. Ex Surrey keeper Burgess impressive with the gloves; I liked him standing up to H-D when Pope was batting, limiting the batsman's movement and possibly contributing to his dismissal.

Church banging on about us making 400. His view and that of the apparently sensible Warks guy (? Clive Eakin) is that it's not an absolute road but it is a pretty good batting track. I therefore guess 400 is possible. Foakes is on about 40 and Jacks around double figures. Biffer Clark is in next and then the three seamers. However, my more pessimistic take is that we could just as easily be 270/7 forty minutes after lunch and up against it!

319/6 off 104 overs. Foakes into the 70s and Clark nearing 40.

31 more needed in 6 overs to get JimBob 4 batting points. Doubtful, I reckon. Probably more likely they'll be content to stay there and push on for 400.

The one wicket to fall since lunch was Jacks for 19, lbw to the stand out bowler H-D. He should have had a fivefer soon after but skipper Rhodes shelled a dolly at slip. Since then, the Surrey batters have cashed in on some poor stuff from Rhodes and Miles.

Yep, as suspected, just the 3 batting points for JimBob.

350/8 at tea now but we're 5 or 6 overs past the point at which bonus points were available.

Clark biffed his way to exactly 50 before falling to part time slowie Yates whilst Roach was splendidly caught at short leg off Briggs immediately before the interval. Like H-D, Briggs has put in a good shift for the Bears.

A nervy tea for Foakes. He's on 87 and hoping Topley/Taylor can stick around long enough for him to get to a ton. Good job it's not Topley's dad - he would be guaranteed to send his batting partner to sleep, eh JimBob?!

Foakes’ approach seems to be to take a single off the first ball of every over and leave Taylor to see out the other five!

100 for Foakes

guildfordbat wrote:Yep, as suspected, just the 3 batting points for JimBob.

350/8 at tea now but we're 5 or 6 overs past the point at which bonus points were available.

Clark biffed his way to exactly 50 before falling to part time slowie Yates whilst Roach was splendidly caught at short leg off Briggs immediately before the interval. Like H-D, Briggs has put in a good shift for the Bears.

A nervy tea for Foakes. He's on 87 and hoping Topley/Taylor can stick around long enough for him to get to a ton. Good job it's not Topley's dad - he would be guaranteed to send his batting partner to sleep, eh JimBob?!

I've had my run ins with him on twitter

Taylor really is doing a excellent job here

400 up

428 for 8 declared

jimbobgooner wrote:Taylor really is doing a excellent job here

Yes, a valuable undefeated 78 run partnership for the ninth wicket between him and Foakes. That'll really p1ss off Warks.

Great for us to be doing that - too often the opposition have done it to us!

Perfect end to the day. A couple of wickets to leave Warks 16/2 at the close.

We're in a strong position but have to hope that all our bowlers do their job over the next two days and the weather behaves.

Good, steady batting all the way down....just 18 wickets to take now

Never a good sign of how things are going when Burns is bowling…

Game heading for a draw unless the captains can agree on a total to chase?

jimbobgooner wrote:Game heading for a draw unless the captains can agree on a total to chase?

Nice thought, JimBob, but I can't see it happening. Just not sufficient time for us to put enough runs on the board and then take 10 wickets. I also think Rhodes will be happy enough with the draw after the trouble Warks were in at 41/4.

I reckon the best contest for you is going to be early doors. Can we take 2 wickets in the first 6 overs and get a third bowling point?

Only 16 overs for Taylor out of 120 odd so far - similar to Jacks, well below Clark’s. If we’re playing a four man attack, surely we can’t have somewhere there to make up the numbers

thegooch7 wrote:Cheers jimbob
I think Taylor will miss out as well, Patel can bowl a bit of medium pace if a 5th one is needed

Surrey belatedly follow Goochie's advice and give Patel the 138th over for an immediate wicket!

guildfordbat wrote:

jimbobgooner wrote:Game heading for a draw unless the captains can agree on a total to chase?

Nice thought, JimBob, but I can't see it happening. Just not sufficient time for us to put enough runs on the board and then take 10 wickets. I also think Rhodes will be happy enough with the draw after the trouble Warks were in at 41/4.

I reckon the best contest for you is going to be early doors. Can we take 2 wickets in the first 6 overs and get a third bowling point?

more in hope than expectant

Think this game and the suffering will have to go on until 5 o'clock. As we'll still be behind at 4:50, we won't be able to declare then and scarper home as usual.

The track stayed good and did the bowlers no favours but Surrey still shown to be lacking sufficient cutting edge with the ball. Taylor was pretty tidy yesterday but had little threat today and suffered. Jacks may be ok for 10 overs but he's not a proper replacement for Virdi or Moriarty.

Credit btw to Burgess, former Surrey Academy and seconds player. He kept well in our first dig and made a career best score today. He's been around a while and has battled hard to make it at pro county level.

match drawn