Another toss was won by captain Batty and again he chose to bat on what turned out to be a glorious summer's evening. There was not the top order collapse with which we have become familiar and instead the top three raced on to 45 for 1. A couple of quick wickets saw the home side slip to 67 for 3 but as ever they mounted something of a recovery. First Kevin Pietersen and then the redoubtable Spriegel chipped in with scores of substance.
Another rapid cameo from Ansari propelled the total towards 200 before they began to stutter again. Four wickets fell for the addition of just 21 runs and without a very useful and unbeaten 21 from Meaker the total would've looked distinctly below par.
Glamorgan's target then was set at 220, which was a tough ask but get-able. Early wickets from Meaker who was too quick for Wallace and Spriegel who had Allenby caught on the boundary set them well off course though.
A rapid 31 from Cooke got the Dragons right back into the game but as with Surrey a flurry of wickets was right around the corner, only this one was terminal. The bowlers shared the wickets around, Batty with three and Dernbach, Kartik and Ansari one apiece before Spriegel bagged his second victim to wrap the innings up. A superb catch at point from Ansari was the icing on the cake.
It was an impressive display of bowling variety and they never really allowed Glamorgan to get away. The game was played in a good spirit with all the players wearing shirts with the name or initials of Tom Maynard emblazoned on them. Spriegel tapped the back of his shirt when he reached fifty and Dernbach pointed skyward in celebrating his wicket. The young man was never far from their thoughts tonight.
This was a must win match and Surrey delivered. With the range of emotions the players were going through tonight, I'm impressed some of them made it on to the park, never mind made match winning contributions. We now have a slim chance of qualifying but will ultimately be left to rely on Hampshire losing their final game to advance automatically.
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4 comments:
Josh - just got in from the game. Not sure it was that nice a summer evening, but enjoyable day nonetheless. I actually thought we lost our way with the batting against a pretty ordinary attack and some limp fielding, but the Spriegel/Ansari combo came through with a steady stand (just 3x4s between them). RHB looked very lively all night, a rather soft dismissal, but signs of the old self. Roy disappointed, but I think he is in that classic second season syndrome where opponents know how to bowl to him. Also there is pressure on numbers 3-6 when they keep getting in early. Last year our openers were putting up stands of 50 plus, this year double figures is a bonus.
Bowling & fielding were great. Glamorgan never looked on although Cooke batted well. The Pietersen dropped catch kept the crowd entertained although it didnt help the NRR.
We need to beat Somerset and hope Hants lose (if they no result and we win then we need to make up on NRR, hence we might rue KP's catch). Looks like the best second team will come from the Group C.
Anyway do we think KP will play the rest of the season and do we want that? Answers on a postcard....probably would help in the CC match at Taunton. That pitch will be intriguing, with Rehman in the Somerset team.
Finally just need to say thought the club put on a great show for the occasion. The numbers idea was clever, although obviously didnt help the crowd work out fielders at times - just like the old days ! A good crowd in and well done all round.
MKM
Cheers MKM. It was lovely and sunny by the time I got there at 5pm!
I missed a great deal of our batting, I saw the latter part of the Spriegel innings but had to listen to KP on the radio. You're right though, Glamorgan's is not the strongest bowling attack going around, hence we still have serious issues in the batting.
The KP drop was a funny one, it almost seemed (from all the way at the top of the OCS!) that he had it under control but perhaps he didn't, in fact obviously he didn't!
As for KP and the rest of the season...I don't think we could turn him down really do you? With our issues in the batting...I'm not sure Rehman will still be with Somerset for our game will he, thought I'd heard he was in the Pakistan ODI squad and so would be withdrawn from Somerset duty? In which case I don't think Kartik will have much assistance!
It was a good occasion, and it did mean it took me a little longer to identify the players, but a nice touch I think.
Hadnt realised Rehman was leaving so soon. Cant keep up. I see they have signed Saj Mahmood and Warwicks have Ian Blackwell. Lots of moves. TMS were speculating whether Imran Tahir would turn up somewhere as he is not in the SA one day team apparently ?!!?
I guess you are right. If KP wants to play and he has no-one else to play for we couldnt turn it down. He did play well today and it was a good ball that got him. He seems to be accepted ok by the others.
Anyway time to turn in.
Cheers
MKM
Good match last night - would agree that our batting was steady rather than spectacular (I didn't see any 6s - the nearest attempt got Spreigs out!) but the bowling and fielding was pretty ruthless.
KPs drop was a comedy of errors but he took the gentle ribbing from the sisdelines (Surrey and Glamorgan supporters!) in good spirit and put himself out to sign autographs for kids wherever possible during breaks in the game. He makes mistakes, we all know that but I can't help liking the fella.
Incidentally, I don't understand why we are even questioning whether it would be good to have KP for the run-in. Of course we must - no team can afford to turn talent like that down.
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