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The World Cup is here Again!
2 years ago
Friday, 28 May 2010
A break from blogging!
I'm off on holiday as of tomorrow, and will thus not be blogging for a week. Nevertheless, I want to wish Surrey the best of luck for Tomorrow's game with Glamorgan and the game next week with Leicestershire. And of course England in this game and the game at Old Trafford!
Some good news, some bad. And Younus (not Younis)
Lets start with the good: Stuart Meaker and Chris Tremlett come back into play for this match, the former after a foot injury and the latter was probably just rested because of the completely stupid schedule. And the bad? Well Andre Nel has gotten himself suspended again, another ECB Code violation, this time apparently for throwing a ball at Niall O'Brien.
Some will say that's just Andre Nel, I'd say its just stupid whoever you are. He's been around too long now to still be getting himself suspended like that. He's now been banned for four Championship matches - a quarter of the season and he's really letting the side down. Coming off the back of a particularly splendid performance makes it all the more galling.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand, the squad for the Glamorgan game is thus:
Younus Khan
Arun Harinath
Mark Ramprakash
Rory Hamilton-Brown
Usman Afzaal
Steven Davies
Matthew Spriegel
Gareth Batty
Tim Linley/Stuart Meaker
Chris Tremlett
Jade Dernbach
12th man: Chris Schofield
Perhaps a bit harsh on Schofield, who didn't bowl terribly at Northants, but he did only take one wicket bowling 21 overs in the fourth innings. His 29 runs in our first innings were vital, but I think Batty offers more all round at the moment. They should not, repeat not go for two spinners, the vast majority of wickets this season at the SWALEC Stadium have fallen to seamers. The other decision to make is whether to play Linley or Meaker. Linley bowled well at Northants and picked up his first five-for, but Meaker took a bunch before his injury, so its a tough call. I think they'll go with Meaker, who also offers more with the bat, but I think either will do a decent job for us. Of course they might elect to rest Tremlett with the Leicestershire game coming so soon after this one, and at the Oval, in which case they might play both Linley and Meaker.
The elephant in the room so far is that Younus Khan (it seems we're going with Younus rather than Younis) is finally in the side, though for how long remains to be seen! To have Ramps, Younus, Afzaal, RHB and Davies in the side is an excellent mix of aggressive bats and accumulators, and if they can click we could be in for a big score. Younus' arrival will probably mean Davies moves back to the middle order, which I'm more comfortable with, he looked very comfortable there at the start of the season.
However Glamorgan are a good side, coming off the back of consecutive innings victories followed by a ten wicket win, they will have bags of confidence. James Harris, with 31 Championship wickets to his name already, will very likely take the field, Cosgrove got a hundred in the last match (and hit a massive 175 last time he played Surrey) and Allenby has been in good form. Their full squad is as follows: GP Rees, MJ Cosgrove, JWM Dalrymple, BJ Wright, J Allenby, TL Maynard, MA Wallace, JAR Harris, RDB Croft, DA Cosker, WT Owen, DS Harrison and HT Waters.
Whatever the team and whoever the opposition Surrey have to continue in the positive frame of mind they showed for the last two days of the Northants game, no going back into your shell now boys!
Some will say that's just Andre Nel, I'd say its just stupid whoever you are. He's been around too long now to still be getting himself suspended like that. He's now been banned for four Championship matches - a quarter of the season and he's really letting the side down. Coming off the back of a particularly splendid performance makes it all the more galling.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand, the squad for the Glamorgan game is thus:
Younus Khan
Arun Harinath
Mark Ramprakash
Rory Hamilton-Brown
Usman Afzaal
Steven Davies
Matthew Spriegel
Gareth Batty
Tim Linley/Stuart Meaker
Chris Tremlett
Jade Dernbach
12th man: Chris Schofield
Perhaps a bit harsh on Schofield, who didn't bowl terribly at Northants, but he did only take one wicket bowling 21 overs in the fourth innings. His 29 runs in our first innings were vital, but I think Batty offers more all round at the moment. They should not, repeat not go for two spinners, the vast majority of wickets this season at the SWALEC Stadium have fallen to seamers. The other decision to make is whether to play Linley or Meaker. Linley bowled well at Northants and picked up his first five-for, but Meaker took a bunch before his injury, so its a tough call. I think they'll go with Meaker, who also offers more with the bat, but I think either will do a decent job for us. Of course they might elect to rest Tremlett with the Leicestershire game coming so soon after this one, and at the Oval, in which case they might play both Linley and Meaker.
The elephant in the room so far is that Younus Khan (it seems we're going with Younus rather than Younis) is finally in the side, though for how long remains to be seen! To have Ramps, Younus, Afzaal, RHB and Davies in the side is an excellent mix of aggressive bats and accumulators, and if they can click we could be in for a big score. Younus' arrival will probably mean Davies moves back to the middle order, which I'm more comfortable with, he looked very comfortable there at the start of the season.
However Glamorgan are a good side, coming off the back of consecutive innings victories followed by a ten wicket win, they will have bags of confidence. James Harris, with 31 Championship wickets to his name already, will very likely take the field, Cosgrove got a hundred in the last match (and hit a massive 175 last time he played Surrey) and Allenby has been in good form. Their full squad is as follows: GP Rees, MJ Cosgrove, JWM Dalrymple, BJ Wright, J Allenby, TL Maynard, MA Wallace, JAR Harris, RDB Croft, DA Cosker, WT Owen, DS Harrison and HT Waters.
Whatever the team and whoever the opposition Surrey have to continue in the positive frame of mind they showed for the last two days of the Northants game, no going back into your shell now boys!
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Around the Grounds: Plays of the Day
Division One:
Adam Lyth completed a remarkable series of hundred-ninety-hundred-ninety today, he was out just two short of a hundred and instead of four consecutive hundreds he has to make do with two and two fifties. Yorkshire declared just short of 300 giving Hampshire an un-chaseable target which their openers pointedly refused to even attempt to go for.
Ryan ten Doeschate scored a run-a-ball fifty as Essex set Lancashire 336 in about 80 overs, it petered out into a bore draw, the days of all the games in Division One producing results seemed a long way off!
Division Two:
Derbyshire did well to make it to 166 having been 15-4 at one stage, Jon Lewis, far too good for the Second Division came away with parsimonious figures of 4-25. Derbyshire 130 short.
Surrey won a match, that's news enough. But Ramprakash did an Adam Lyth impression completing a run of hundred-hundred-seventy-seventy, averaging 237.5 from the last four innings. Andre Nel also took four wickets.
Rain ruined any chance of a result on the final day of Worcestershire's game with Sussex, Worcs ended the day on 205-6, Solanki reaching 61. Actually even without the rain this almost certainly would've been a draw. Monty Panesar took four wickets in the match to take his tally for the season to 16 at 31 apiece.
That's the last Around the Grounds before I'm off on a well deserved holiday, but fingers crossed Surrey keep the momentum going!
Adam Lyth completed a remarkable series of hundred-ninety-hundred-ninety today, he was out just two short of a hundred and instead of four consecutive hundreds he has to make do with two and two fifties. Yorkshire declared just short of 300 giving Hampshire an un-chaseable target which their openers pointedly refused to even attempt to go for.
Ryan ten Doeschate scored a run-a-ball fifty as Essex set Lancashire 336 in about 80 overs, it petered out into a bore draw, the days of all the games in Division One producing results seemed a long way off!
Division Two:
Derbyshire did well to make it to 166 having been 15-4 at one stage, Jon Lewis, far too good for the Second Division came away with parsimonious figures of 4-25. Derbyshire 130 short.
Surrey won a match, that's news enough. But Ramprakash did an Adam Lyth impression completing a run of hundred-hundred-seventy-seventy, averaging 237.5 from the last four innings. Andre Nel also took four wickets.
Rain ruined any chance of a result on the final day of Worcestershire's game with Sussex, Worcs ended the day on 205-6, Solanki reaching 61. Actually even without the rain this almost certainly would've been a draw. Monty Panesar took four wickets in the match to take his tally for the season to 16 at 31 apiece.
That's the last Around the Grounds before I'm off on a well deserved holiday, but fingers crossed Surrey keep the momentum going!
Consecutive wins...against Northamptonshire...at Wantage Road
If I was a Northants fan I'd count myself a bit unlucky, the members at Wantage road have had Surrey, they of just the two wins in 38 matches, visit twice inside twelve months now, and seen their side lose on both occasions.
Surrey turned around what looked like it could conceivably have been an innings defeat if all had gone wrong yesterday morning into a pretty comfortable victory today.
At 210-7, still 38 short of the follow on target, Surrey could've capitulated and handed the initiative to Northants. But they didn't, they showed immense character and resolve to win the key sessions - something they have this season thus far failed to do. With six Northants wickets remaining this morning a draw looked marginally the most likely result but Surrey collected those notorious early wickets and had the opposition back in the hutch by lunchtime. Andre Nel followed up his 96 yesterday with 4-61 to complete an excellent match for him.
With 241 the target we might reasonably have expected Surrey to start tentatively but both Harinath and Davies both started aggressively and their intent showed the rest of the Surrey batsmen the way. Though Davies got out early for just 25, Harinath continues to contribute, 48 today and then Ramps, well Ramps is just incredible. His last four innings read 223, 103*, 70 and 78*, averaging in the 70s for the season.
Rory Hamilton-Brown was his customary aggressive self with 45 at better than a run a ball and by the time he was out the target was below 100 for Ramps and Afzaal to shepherd the side home to.
We should be under no illusions, this is only a drop in the ocean and we are still rooted firmly to the foot of the table - there is loads of work still to do, but the character the lads showed in this game was outstanding, now to Glamorgan for two in two!
Surrey turned around what looked like it could conceivably have been an innings defeat if all had gone wrong yesterday morning into a pretty comfortable victory today.
At 210-7, still 38 short of the follow on target, Surrey could've capitulated and handed the initiative to Northants. But they didn't, they showed immense character and resolve to win the key sessions - something they have this season thus far failed to do. With six Northants wickets remaining this morning a draw looked marginally the most likely result but Surrey collected those notorious early wickets and had the opposition back in the hutch by lunchtime. Andre Nel followed up his 96 yesterday with 4-61 to complete an excellent match for him.
With 241 the target we might reasonably have expected Surrey to start tentatively but both Harinath and Davies both started aggressively and their intent showed the rest of the Surrey batsmen the way. Though Davies got out early for just 25, Harinath continues to contribute, 48 today and then Ramps, well Ramps is just incredible. His last four innings read 223, 103*, 70 and 78*, averaging in the 70s for the season.
Rory Hamilton-Brown was his customary aggressive self with 45 at better than a run a ball and by the time he was out the target was below 100 for Ramps and Afzaal to shepherd the side home to.
We should be under no illusions, this is only a drop in the ocean and we are still rooted firmly to the foot of the table - there is loads of work still to do, but the character the lads showed in this game was outstanding, now to Glamorgan for two in two!
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Around the Grounds: Plays of the Day
Division One:
Neil McKenzie continued to justify his position as my pick for the best Kolpak signing of the winter with 91 today, helping to lift Hampshire to 351. Adam Lyth continued his impressive form, ending the day 64 not out, to get to within spitting distance of 1,000 runs before the end of May. He should surely be firmly in the selectors' sights.
Essex continued to build a substantial lead against Lancashire, Jaik Mickleburgh recorded 64 before running himself out. Lancashire's batting woes will be tested by Essex's young but impressive seam attack tomorrow.
Murali Kartik - an excellent example of an overseas signing who has a real impact (why didn't the spoilsports at the BCCI ban him?!) took 6-61 to all but take Somerset to victory. They knocked off the 45 runs needed to victory in barely 10 overs for the loss of only one wicket.
Division Two:
The Gloucestershire-Derbyshire game saw another 400+ innings without a century, Chris Dent falling just two short on 98 to leave Derbyshire with a tricky 300-odd chase on the final day.
In an incredible game at Grace Road Glamorgan's Harris and Harrison took 4 wickets apiece to finish off Leicestershire for just 71 - the lowest total in the championship this season. Glamorgan then showed how decent the pitch was by polishing off the 198 runs needed to win without losing a single wicket - lardy Cosgrove finishing with 113 off 111 balls - I bloody love Cosgrove.
Andre Nel's 96 was unquestionably the innings of the day, he and Dernbach rescued Surrey from complete embarrassment with comfortably the highest partnership of the match - well played lads.
Murray Goodwin didn't add many to his overnight score and was out on Nelson - 111, but retiree Robin Martin-Jenkins and Yasir Arafat dragged Sussex up to 328 with 66 and 40 respectively. Almost certainly a draw this one, barring a major miracle!
Neil McKenzie continued to justify his position as my pick for the best Kolpak signing of the winter with 91 today, helping to lift Hampshire to 351. Adam Lyth continued his impressive form, ending the day 64 not out, to get to within spitting distance of 1,000 runs before the end of May. He should surely be firmly in the selectors' sights.
Essex continued to build a substantial lead against Lancashire, Jaik Mickleburgh recorded 64 before running himself out. Lancashire's batting woes will be tested by Essex's young but impressive seam attack tomorrow.
Murali Kartik - an excellent example of an overseas signing who has a real impact (why didn't the spoilsports at the BCCI ban him?!) took 6-61 to all but take Somerset to victory. They knocked off the 45 runs needed to victory in barely 10 overs for the loss of only one wicket.
Division Two:
The Gloucestershire-Derbyshire game saw another 400+ innings without a century, Chris Dent falling just two short on 98 to leave Derbyshire with a tricky 300-odd chase on the final day.
In an incredible game at Grace Road Glamorgan's Harris and Harrison took 4 wickets apiece to finish off Leicestershire for just 71 - the lowest total in the championship this season. Glamorgan then showed how decent the pitch was by polishing off the 198 runs needed to win without losing a single wicket - lardy Cosgrove finishing with 113 off 111 balls - I bloody love Cosgrove.
Andre Nel's 96 was unquestionably the innings of the day, he and Dernbach rescued Surrey from complete embarrassment with comfortably the highest partnership of the match - well played lads.
Murray Goodwin didn't add many to his overnight score and was out on Nelson - 111, but retiree Robin Martin-Jenkins and Yasir Arafat dragged Sussex up to 328 with 66 and 40 respectively. Almost certainly a draw this one, barring a major miracle!
Andre Nel: Superstar Hero
Surrey just about edged past the follow on target...and then once Spriegel had shepherded us past that target and got out, the lad obviously knew they had a free hand, and there then ensued a 100+ rapid-fire partnership between Andre Nel and Jade Dernbach, who both made comfortably their highest first class scores in the process.
Dernbach had never previously scored a first class fifty, he finished unbeaten on 56, but it was Nel who was the star, his 96 - agonisingly short of a maiden first class hundred - was easily the highest of his career.
That partnership improbably took Surrey to within 11 of Northants' first innings total of 397, and dragged them right back in to the match. From it being touch-and-go as to whether or not Surrey would make the follow on, they've given themselves an evens chance of winning the match.
Tomorrow morning the bowlers need to get in amongst the wickets. Nel, who took 2 wickets despite opening the bowling just 10 minutes after he'd made the last of his 96 runs, and hopefully a night's sleep will only add to his accuracy.
Chris Schofield also bowled exceptionally well - at one stage he'd bowled 7 overs for 7 runs, with a wicket along the way. Tomorrow morning Boje and Hall, Northamptonshire's South African spine, need to be prised from their positions quickly - if they are, Surrey are well and truly in with a chance of finishing off the tail and then having a go at a target of 250ish. Come on the 'Rey!
Dernbach had never previously scored a first class fifty, he finished unbeaten on 56, but it was Nel who was the star, his 96 - agonisingly short of a maiden first class hundred - was easily the highest of his career.
That partnership improbably took Surrey to within 11 of Northants' first innings total of 397, and dragged them right back in to the match. From it being touch-and-go as to whether or not Surrey would make the follow on, they've given themselves an evens chance of winning the match.
Tomorrow morning the bowlers need to get in amongst the wickets. Nel, who took 2 wickets despite opening the bowling just 10 minutes after he'd made the last of his 96 runs, and hopefully a night's sleep will only add to his accuracy.
Chris Schofield also bowled exceptionally well - at one stage he'd bowled 7 overs for 7 runs, with a wicket along the way. Tomorrow morning Boje and Hall, Northamptonshire's South African spine, need to be prised from their positions quickly - if they are, Surrey are well and truly in with a chance of finishing off the tail and then having a go at a target of 250ish. Come on the 'Rey!
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Around the Grounds: Plays of the Day
Division One:
Kent completed a remarkable two day victory over champions Durham today, Ntini grabbed 6-51 to come away with match figures of 10-103. That takes him to 24 wickets at 19 for the season.
Adil Rashid cracked 51 from 83 balls and then took two of the three Hampshire wickets to fall to underline his all round credentials. His England time will come again pretty soon.
Young left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan took an impressive haul of 6-74 for Lancashire against Essex, his second 5-for of the season to take him to 16 at just 17 apiece. His batting chums couldn't back him up though, Lancashire were all out for 184, given some respectability by Sajid Mahmood's fourth 50 in 8 innings - scored at a strike rate this season of 88 - has he turned into a genuine allrounder? 1-89 in the Essex innings says no.
Somerset are well on top against Warwickshire with a lead of 163 largely thanks to 131 from 198 balls from the in-form James Hildreth. Yes it was another hundred at Taunton, but he is a very talented player indeed.
Division Two:
The burly chap who was 12th man when Derbyshire played Surrey in April scored an impressive hundred against Gloucester today. Chesney Hughes from Anguilla, made 118 from 224 balls to give Derbyshire a handy 103 run lead. Young Gemaal Hussain continued his good form with 3-65.
Andrew McDonald did indeed score the 14 extra runs required for his first Leicestershire knock, he was 9th man out for 113. Hoggard then took 4-32 to help Glamorgan to 166 all out. It didn't end there though, Harris and Harrison, Glamorgan's confusing new ball bowlers have reduced Leicestershire to 45-5, game on.
I don't want to revisit Surrey's performance, but suffice it to say Mal Loye's hundred remains the best performance of the match despite Linley's worthy 5-for.
Worcestershire managed to rack up 464 without anyone getting a hundred, 5 half centuries including a 98 from on-loan wicketkeeper Ben Scott, who was unfortunately run out presumably scampering for his hundred. Sussex are behind in the match at 188-4, the returning (Irishman) Ed Joyce making a good 67, as long as Murray Goodwin is still there - he's 109 overnight - Sussex will harbour hopes of rescuing the match.
Kent completed a remarkable two day victory over champions Durham today, Ntini grabbed 6-51 to come away with match figures of 10-103. That takes him to 24 wickets at 19 for the season.
Adil Rashid cracked 51 from 83 balls and then took two of the three Hampshire wickets to fall to underline his all round credentials. His England time will come again pretty soon.
Young left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan took an impressive haul of 6-74 for Lancashire against Essex, his second 5-for of the season to take him to 16 at just 17 apiece. His batting chums couldn't back him up though, Lancashire were all out for 184, given some respectability by Sajid Mahmood's fourth 50 in 8 innings - scored at a strike rate this season of 88 - has he turned into a genuine allrounder? 1-89 in the Essex innings says no.
Somerset are well on top against Warwickshire with a lead of 163 largely thanks to 131 from 198 balls from the in-form James Hildreth. Yes it was another hundred at Taunton, but he is a very talented player indeed.
Division Two:
The burly chap who was 12th man when Derbyshire played Surrey in April scored an impressive hundred against Gloucester today. Chesney Hughes from Anguilla, made 118 from 224 balls to give Derbyshire a handy 103 run lead. Young Gemaal Hussain continued his good form with 3-65.
Andrew McDonald did indeed score the 14 extra runs required for his first Leicestershire knock, he was 9th man out for 113. Hoggard then took 4-32 to help Glamorgan to 166 all out. It didn't end there though, Harris and Harrison, Glamorgan's confusing new ball bowlers have reduced Leicestershire to 45-5, game on.
I don't want to revisit Surrey's performance, but suffice it to say Mal Loye's hundred remains the best performance of the match despite Linley's worthy 5-for.
Worcestershire managed to rack up 464 without anyone getting a hundred, 5 half centuries including a 98 from on-loan wicketkeeper Ben Scott, who was unfortunately run out presumably scampering for his hundred. Sussex are behind in the match at 188-4, the returning (Irishman) Ed Joyce making a good 67, as long as Murray Goodwin is still there - he's 109 overnight - Sussex will harbour hopes of rescuing the match.
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