Surrey 2nd XI

First topic message reminder :

I thought it might be a nice idea to have a thread to keep an eye on any stand out performances from our 2nd XI this season. I'm definitely looking for the likes of Jewell, Harinath and (to begin with at least) Jordan to show some form.

Today they started their first 2nd XI championship match against the MCC Young Cricketers who batted first and were all out for 365. Jewell took 3 wickets which is nice to hear.

It is strange that we have so many promising young bowlers yet Harinath is about our only option in terms of batsmen and he's been around for a long time now. Lancefield will be gone in the summer, I'm almost certain.

How's about slowly giving Harinath the odd first team game this season at the expense of the 42 year old Ramprakash. Ramps is a legend we all know that but I'm sure if Adams had a chat with him about trying to bring the younger guys through he would be understanding.

Depressed, Carrot and all,

A couple of points.

Firstly, I always thought it strange (and still do) that Tom Lancefield forced his way into the side last season, did pretty well and then was ''rewarded'' with only a one year contract. Particularly as, at the same time, Rory Burns - our third choice keeper and still to play a CC game - was given a two year contract. Something didn't seem right then and that feeling has increased as Lancefield seems to have been increasingly excluded this season.

Secondly, concerning Depressed's last post proposing that Adams get Ramps to stand aside at times so as to help bring Harinath and other younger guys through. As regards the medium and long term, I'm sure Adams would go along with that. Unfortunately, Adams has a short term issue to deal with. At the AGM in March, Adams told the members that his top priority this season was to win promotion. Even though Adams has already gained a contract extension, I suspect he is conscious of members' expectations and the negative feedback he'll undoubtedly get if he doesn't deliver promotion. For that reason, he may well want to stick with a highly proven 42 year old in the short term ....

That's the problem though, isn't it? By only choosing 6 batsmen (with whom our average first innings score isn't great) we don't have the luxury to let our most experienced and proven run scorer to stand aside for Arun. We'd be much better discarding the spinner tbh, they generally do sod all anyway! Harinath is 24 now so needs to break through soon or move on to someone who will play him.

I think if there was a will to play Harinath he would be in the team - at least sometimes.

Certainly on a bowler friendly pitch we could go in with 4 bowlers plus the Brain and Hyphen as backup. Also we don't necessarily need to play the Brain in every cc match. He has done well but he is well into his thirties so he is not someone we are trying to develop. It would do no harm to rest him for a match - providing Ramps is in the side to give some experience.

Good points, Corporal. We saw from Roy that if they want someone in the team they will get them in there. Certainly de Bruyn is another who could move aside to give Harinath a chance but again it would significantly weaken our middle order in a 6 batsman line up.

Harinath finished on 127* when the declaration came. I make that an average of almost 87 from 6 innings this season.

i hear harinath is scoring bucketloads of runs, why isnt he in the first xi??

Have a read around the thread/forum, cricketfan, we are currently playing with 6 batsmen and there is no room for him. Most of us on here would find a way to get him in the lineup, either at the expense of a bowler (my choice) or replacing one of the batsmen.

the 2nd eleven take on hampshire tomorrow the twelve man squad does not include harinath so i assume he will get another chance at gloucestershire. no tom lancefield, simon king,or michael brown in the squad i do fear the worst for those 3 now.

Brown was playing club cricket for Burnley the other day, he was stumped for 0 off a wide....

brown seems to have rapidly declined

No announcement from the Club but Brown tweeted someone yesterday that he was ''retired from Surrey now''. He also describes himself on his twitter account as ''former professional cricketer''. Assuming this is all correct, a great shame that he never returned to form and fitness and particularly poor communication from the Club.

King hasn't featured for some time. I suspect he may well have also already gone.

As I've said before, there's been something odd about the Lancefield position ever since he only got a one year extension at the end of last season.

These guys were never going to be world beaters but it's always disappointing when career ambitions don't get reached. Assuming my suspicions are justified, even more disappointed by the Club's silence.

I just asked Michael Brown directly on Twitter, he said he has officially retired now, such a shame.

Carrotdude wrote:I just asked Michael Brown directly on Twitter, he said he has officially retired now, such a shame.

Thanks for the update phil

Yet again its another own goal for the Surrey website keeping us in the dark and feeding us on s..t.

From the Surrey website - report on 2nd XI match against Hants

"Surrey then lost Wilson (60) and Jewell (28) in quick succession which sparked a mini batting collapse as the hosts lost five wickets for twenty runs"

5 for 20 = a mini collapse

Harinath scored another century for 2nd XI against Middlesex. Which at least suggests he hasn't lost confidence after his low scores in the loss for the first team - also against Middlesex. I hope he gets another chance.

Me too, Corporal, me too. Winning the last game sort of vindicated the switch back to 5 bowlers but I'd like to see him back against Kent if the pitch looks suitable for 4 bowlers.