Friday 16 April 2010

No worse, but certainly no better

That's what it has come to, I don't feel that bad about Surrey today because we weren't a complete and utter shambles. To lose the final four wickets for seven runs inside the space of 19 balls wasn't a great start to the day, but the slow pace of Sussex's initial reply showed the deathly slow nature of the pitch.

Sussex lost wickets quickly to begin with, but innings from Yardy, Goodwin and Wright have built them a strong lead, and Surrey's bowlers haven't been able to stem the flow of runs in the same way Sussex's did. Where Sussex had four bowlers go at less than 2 runs an over, Surrey could manage only one (Dernbach - a good sign in itself). Batty and Schofield in particular were expensive in picking up a wicket apiece. Batty has managed just 5 maidens in the 63 overs he's bowled so far this year, being unable to stem the flow of runs does not bode especially well for him.

I can't claim to have seen it, but Cricinfo reports that Hamilton-Brown dropped Goodwin "badly" at slip, which by my calculation puts the cost of Surrey drops this season at around 220 runs...its only the second game!

Rao and Nel need to come out tomorrow morning and do a Rana Naved, i.e. finish off Sussex's innings rapidly. They currently have a lead of 73, anything over a hundred spells defeat for Surrey I fear.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

And Sussex's 'tail' is very bat-handy with Martin-Jenkins and Naved in it, both of whom are yet to bat!

How come Yardy never bowled?

GreenJJ said...

Yeah RMJ and Rana are both very capable of scoring an irritating 20-25 runs apiece, which will take the game well out of Surrey's grasp.

I guess because they didn't need him to, seamers took 9 of the 10 wickets to fall, and Monty was tying down the other end. Against better sides he might have had to, but not Surrey!

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