Back on the wagon

Apologies for the lack of blogging lately, I've been away with my real job which is most unfortunate as it coincided with probably the most comprehensive all round performance (and victory!) in three years from Surrey.

Surrey have now won consecutive Championship games for the first time since the end of 2007 when they won three on the bounce. We've also only lost one of the last five games, things are certainly on the up. Yet another hundred from Ramps, a sparkling hundred from the skipper and a second career ton for young Spriegel, combined with telling contributions with the ball from Batty and Tremlett contributed this week to a magnificent performance.

We now go into the weekend with a game on Sunday against Somerset in the CB40 and they'll be looking to continue their good form from earlier in the season in that format. Adams has named a 14 man squad, and I think the team should be:

Rory Hamilton-Brown
Steven Davies
Mark Ramprakash
Jason Roy
Tom Lancefield
Stewart Walters
Matthew Spriegel
Gareth Batty
Chris Tremlett
Andre Nel
Jade Dernbach

Bench: Gary Wilson, Stuart Meaker, Chris Schofield

I still worry about a 7 and 8 of Spriegel and Batty, there's absolutely no power there and should we need to biff a few in a couple of overs to win a game and we're 5 or 6 down, I don't think we'll win with that sort of batsman at the crease. That said, the pair of them are in good form and have earned the chance to play. Dernbach's inclusion is dependent on him making it through a club game, if he doesn't play I would stick Meaker in. He'll be on a high after four second innings wickets this week.

Gary Wilson showed signs of turning into a good little cricketer with those three quickfire boundaries at the end of the T20, so maybe he should get a go, but I think the side above has plenty of batting down to number six. With RHB, Roy, Lancefield and Davies, there's plenty of power in the top order.

Our limited overs form this season has been very good and now there are signs that the Championship form is going a similar way. I'll say again, you have to credit the skipper and the coach for much of that, but I suspect the senior players have played their part as well - the Battys, Ramprakashes and Tremletts have probably been a big influence too.

Its important to keep this form going and there's no reason why they shouldn't. Keep it up boys!