surrey vs kent county championship division 2

right back to 4 day cricket before the last 2 group games in the t/20
Zafar Ansari and Chris Tremlett are included in the twelve man squad for the LV= County Championship match starting tomorrow against Kent at the Kia Oval.
The full Surrey squad to face Kent in the LV= County Championship at the Kia Oval from Sunday 10th July to Wednesday 13th July is:
Rory Hamilton-Brown (Captain)
Jason Roy
Mark Ramprakash
Zander de Bruyn
Steven Davies (Wicket Keeper)
Tom Maynard
Zafar Ansari
Gareth Batty
Yasir Arafat
Stuart Meaker
Tim Linley
Chris Tremlett
who would you leave out from that 12?

JimBob - I would leave out one of the bowlers!

guildfordbat wrote:JimBob - I would leave out one of the bowlers!

Interesting that guildford

I would leave out Batty, but I assume that it will be Ansari that misses out

I think Ansari has earned selection. With 5 fast bowlers/seamers including the Brain I don't think it is a gamble to pick Ansari.

Ok, JimBob.

Very difficult question even by your usual hard standards. I'll give you my ''best guess'' answer and, for when that inevitably proves wrong, two other possibilities!

Much as I would like him to play, I'll guess the Gaffer will continue his cricketing education from the bench.

If Gaffer does play, I think the one to miss out would be Batty (raising real doubts over his future) or the Viscount (who if it wasn't for bad luck would have no luck!).

Personally, I would leave out Linley.

I think the two spinners, turning (debatable?) the ball opposite directions, gives our attack more varitety on a usually placid Oval wicket.

Although I agree that Viscount would be unlucky to miss out with the form he was in.

Need to make good use of Tremlett, and Meaker's return is very uplifting, especially if he can pick up where he left off before injury.

If would be even harder to pick the bowlers if Jade 'two-wickets-in-two-balls' Dernbach was available!

I guess that is what selectors and management are paid for!

Have to disagree there, Tibor, Linley deserves his place in the 11. He has been our best bowler and leading wicket taker in the 4 day game. Also, the Oval pitches haven't been as flat as in recent years and even if it was good for spin, Ansari on debut and Batty are hardly likely to rip through a side. I'd leave Batty out and give Ansari a go, I don't see it as much of a risk. Arafat/Linley/Meaker and Tremlett is imo a very good seam attack and we should do well, of course now Kent will bat first and get 600 odd!

I just like the look of the team with two different spinners, as well as the extra batting. Maybe I am thinking too much along the lines of a Test match team.

Perhaps my team selection is also partly influenced by a personal preference towards spin, but I can't help think that four right-armed seamers is a bit samey (although I appreciate they bring slightly different skills; bounce, pace, seam, swing etc).

You say that Linley has been our leading 4-day wicket-taker, but I would hazard a guess that both Tremlett and Meaker would be ahead had they played all the games he had (although picking a team on conjecture rather than results is admittedly risky!). With this in mind, maybe my axe should have fallen on Arafat, whose contribution to the T20 side has somewhat masked his failure in the CC.

Something tells me Arafat will play today though...

well blow me down, Arafat left out according to Cricinfo.

Not the first wrong prediction I've made this season (ie. T20 v Sussex at Whitgift).

Good to see that the overseas player has to earn his place in the team now.

Don't worry, Tibor - I got the one to be left out wrong even with three stabs at it!!

Churchy has just said that he's not aware of Arafat being injured and belives he's just been left out on form. Quite right too ....

25 minutes gone and only 1 ball bowled surely Kent must be fined for a slow over rate

Roy out for 4

Ramps out to the loan signing from Hampshire for 12

Hope The Brain will be in his element - he should feel free just to keep score ticking along steadily without taking risks....

63 for 2

50 for the brain
125 for 3

lunch 145 for 3

200 up 1st batting point in the bag

The Brain on 98 - scoring at his normal T20 rate. Kent already conceded 30 extras including 15 byes....

The Brain 100

100 for the brain

Maynard out to a short ball for 19 - bit of a waste.....

Ansari goes for 4. Denley getting some turn...

Only The Brain holding things together at the moment...

250 for 6 2nd batting point in the bag

tea 289 for 6

293-6 off 65 -> 4 1/2 an over. Would it be churlish of me to say that - yet again - the batsmen have gone at it too fast for their own good? I would have been much happier with 210-3 at this stage of day 1 of 4.

PS: just in case anyone accuses me of being another depressedsurreyfan () well played The Brain.

300 up 3rd batting point in the bag

150 for the brain

The Brain passes 150 He was dropped at slip on 81 - a costly miss.

Useful support from Batty - moves on to 40....

SimonofSurrey wrote:293-6 off 65 -> 4 1/2 an over. Would it be churlish of me to say that - yet again - the batsmen have gone at it too fast for their own good? I would have been much happier with 210-3 at this stage of day 1 of 4.

PS: just in case anyone accuses me of being another depressedsurreyfan () well played The Brain.

fair point simon it does seem that kent are a couple of bowlers short for this match.

I actually think the scoring rate is pretty good. Gives us longer to bowl teams out twice, something we have struggled to do thus far.

Disappointed that Ansari failed today, was hoping for a score. Denly is a better bowler than his stats suggest though, he bowled well on TV when I last saw him.

Perhaps Batty is feeling threatened by Ansari's inclusion, judging by his batting effort so far, he's trying to show the Gaffer who the Alpha spinning-all-rounder is!

Apparently Mrs Tredwell has just given birth which, perhaps fortunately for us, means hubby James is with her and child rather than at the Oval ....

Batty 50

extras 11 away from a deserved 50

jimbob,

Depending on how he goes later on with the bat, this wouldn't be the first match of his career in which Geraint Jones made a significant contribution to at least 3 of the 4 innings of a 4/5 day game...

Joseph 6 over for 55 runs

Proving a good afternoon -
* 100 partnership
* Fourth batting point getting near
*t20 scores good for us - heaven knows how but Middlesex could even beat Somerset (probably won't but could!)
*I've cut the front and back lawns
* I'm having a

Tibor wrote:I actually think the scoring rate is pretty good. Gives us longer to bowl teams out twice, something we have struggled to do thus far.

Disappointed that Ansari failed today, was hoping for a score. Denly is a better bowler than his stats suggest though, he bowled well on TV when I last saw him.

Perhaps Batty is feeling threatened by Ansari's inclusion, judging by his batting effort so far, he's trying to show the Gaffer who the Alpha spinning-all-rounder is!

in one day cricket maybe but in 4 day cricket he is not. the fact that he has had to bowl so many overs proves that kent are at least 2 bowlers short.

SimonofSurrey wrote:jimbob,

Depending on how he goes later on with the bat, this wouldn't be the first match of his career in which Geraint Jones made a significant contribution to at least 3 of the 4 innings of a 4/5 day game...

and there it is the 4th batting point

Batty gone for 65...

Need Meaker to hang around for the Brain

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Batty gone for 65...

with that kent bowling attack 500 is the minimum

the brain goes for 179

meaker goes

387 all out not good enough

i'm sure when kent started this match key must have feared the worst with that bowling attack he had at his disposal.no need to worry robert with our batsmen in one day mode

Viscount gets Denly!

After a dreadful day with the ball, Robbie Joseph comes in as nightwatchman - hmmm. Come On Viscount ....

Well, Meaker snaffled Joseph to complete a terrible time for him and leave us on top at end of day one.

Star performance from The Brain with valuable support from Batty and his mystery bat.

The Gaffer didn't boss anyone today but his time can't be far off. As for Arafat ....