SURREY VS WARWICKSHIRE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

And we're back
SURREY HAVE NAMED A THIRTEEN-MAN SQUAD FOR THE FIRST MATCH OF THE 2017 SUMMER – A SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH AGAINST WARWICKSHIRE AT THE KIA OVAL.
Both Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick are set to make their County Championship debuts for the club, with Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara also included in a Surrey squad for the first time this season.
There is also a wealth of choice in seam bowling options with five quick bowlers – Tom Curran, Sam Curran, Mark Footitt, Stuart Meaker and Jade Dernbach – all vying for a spot in the final eleven.
There is no place in the squad for Arun Harinath, Ollie Pope,Matt Dunn or Amar virdi
Full Surrey Squad:
Gareth Batty (captain)
Zafar Ansari
Scott Borthwick
Rory Burns
Sam Curran
Tom Curran
Jade Dernbach
Ben Foakes (WK)
Mark Footitt
Stuart Meaker
Kumar Sangakkara
Dominic Sibley
Mark Stoneman
The big decision will be will the captain step down for this one?
Over to you chaps

Cracking start, JimBob. Thanks as ever.

To the list of players not making the squad you can also add Ravi Rampaul. Remember he had 2 or 3 fivefers early on last season.

Of those in this squad, I suspect Dernbach will miss out. Then one of Batty, Ansari and Meaker. It's well documented that Batty would be on drinks duty if I was choosing but I think he'll play. I'll suggest Ansari to also sit it out.

Warks have named a 15 man squad. Some names I don't recognise but some old favourites - Bell, Trott, Clarke, Patel and most of all my man 'Ronnie'. They won't be a pushover.

Going tomorrow. Sandwiches about to be made - the excitement never starts at Guildford Towers!

Thanks, Jimbob - the season begins here! 

Sibley has been in good and consistent form in the warmup games, so I reckon he'll play.  

I'm just wondering what form Sam Curran is in at the moment - I recollect that on tour he was short of runs. Outside possibility that he may also be in the mix to miss out - tho' if he is in any sort of form that does give the batting lineup a better balance.

We've had a very dry winter and spring - so it's conceivable that spinners may get more of a look in early season that is sometimes the case.

Agree with Guildford. I'd pick Batty and Dernbach to miss out, though expect it will be Dernbach and Ansari. Wouldn't be too upset by that, so long as we don't go in with only three seamers

I'm also heading for The Oval. Sandwiches made. Sweaters packed.

Sir Fred - I'll look out for you wearing your Harry Kane shirt.

Meanwhile, in today's Surrey Ad Spills tips Dernbach to play. He did do well in the pre-season friendlies.

Batty and dernbach should sit out

Forecast has gradually back pedalled on amount of cloud today. So, looks unlikely that bad light will be an issue.

Zaf and Meaks left out.

Warks elect to bowl.

Do not like the selection decisions

55 - 0 solid start by Burns and StoneageMan. The latter just hit Ronnie Barker for three 4s in the over.

StongeageMan registers first 50 of the cc season.   Surrey onto 100 - 0.

133-0 at lunch
I fear we've peaked early

A very fine start by Surrey. 

Patel reined in the scoring rate towards the end of the morning - but unusually Surrey didn't appear to have a brain fade the moment he marked out his run up.  Was fully expecting someone to be stumped off Patel's last ball before lunch!

The occasional unconvincing shot (Burns wasn't in control of the 6 that took him to 50) but generally Rory and Rocky have looked as good as the score suggests. Could still go pear shaped as we all know but very encouraging at this stage.

Greetings everyone....how I'd love to be at The Oval today...but sadly work dictates....what a great start by the lads....and especially Stoneham....

Century on dayboo for stoneman

Afternoon Chichester!  Great start at Surrey for Stoneman.    Scoring rate slowed down considerably since lunch - but at 201 - 1 it's still an excellent base on which to build.

First batting point of season.

239 - 2 at tea. Hard fought session in which Warks bowling improved considerably.  Stoneman still there on 129*.

Afternoon chaps not a bad start

That was a harder session but still ours. Rocky defending when he needs to (and the bowling was better in the afternoon) but severe on anything wide of off. Borthwick never looked fully at ease, probably no surprise he was out shortly before tea and even less of a surprise I didn't see it as I was buying a pint of excellent Shere Drop at the time! Sanga looking the class act he is with one delightful straight drive and then blocking Patel for all his worth.

Need to make this excellent start count and not get careless in the final session coming up.

PS Can you guys get radio commentary? Doesn't appear available in the ground which is annoying. Adding to the frustration for some others is that only one scoreboard is working! Cheers.

I listened briefly shortly before tea - but, as per normal when I switch on, Surrey lost a wicket.

2nd batting point

Sanga looking as if he means business.

Sorry if that's an almost inevitable jinx.

PS Thanks, Corporal, for wirelesss update.

Surrey more or less becalmed with only 19 runs (and a wicket) off last 10 overs.

A slow down at the end, but what a good day for Surrey...should get 4 points for batting and hope to bat Warwickshire out of the game... may be a tiny tiny bit of revenge for last September?

Hullo everyone, how nice to be back after the winter break. Sorry to see SonofBoris miss out but pleased to see the Caveman start with a Daddy ton.

That's some squad we've got if you add   LeRoy, Zaf, JadeD, Meaker, Harinath and Ravioli into the mix. Kind of makes me wonder how our club captain - splendid fellow and club servant that he undoubtedly is - squeaked into this XI

If Sanga gets going in the morning we may have a shot at all batting points - but we're likely to be in a strong position. Will be interested to get those who were there's thoughts on the pitch - seemed a strange decision for Warks to bowl first on a lovely day, with Patel in the side (who would likely benefit bowling most in the 4th innings?)

Stoneman known as rocky anyone know the reason why?

jimbobgooner wrote:Stoneman known as rocky anyone know the reason why?

Hi JimBob - all to do with rock and stones, sorry to disappoint you if you were hoping he was the body double for Sly Stallone in the later Rocky films.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:If Sanga gets going in the morning we may have a shot at all batting points - but we're likely to be in a strong position. Will be interested to get those who were there's thoughts on the pitch - seemed a strange decision for Warks to bowl first on a lovely day, with Patel in the side (who would likely benefit bowling most in the 4th innings?)

Bell got it badly wrong. That's his view now according to the cricinfo report. It was also the view of most of the old gits (amongst whom by comparison, I'm young and cheerful! ) at the ground when he made his choice. Weather conditions suited batting and the track (I saw it up close at lunchtime) looked good - a few tiny bits of green but generally brownish and completely smooth with no hint of any cracks.

All I can guess is that if Bell thought the wicket was going to give help to the bowlers, it would be most likely to do so first thing. To be fair and even though I'm biased in his favour, Barker started beautifully - just around or slightly outside off stump. If a wicket had fallen then, I suppose it might have been a different story but that didn't happen. Barker fell away in his 4th over (3 boundaries from Burns) whilst the other seamers were out of sorts throughout the morning. By lunch, we were well on top and even though the Bears battled hard in the last 2 sessions, they never changed that.

As said earlier, Stoneman mixed defence and attack astutely. Perfect debut. Burns did what Burns does - looked at home, made some runs and then got out before making a lot of runs. Borthwick never settled but I won't judge him on one innings. Sanga not only bats but runs supremely - even at his age and with nothing left to prove, always looking for the quick single and to convert a one into a two. Pure class and a great example. Disappointed today by Sibley - his sole aim appeared to be not to get out and we lost momentum as a result.

We're in a good place but I wouldn't get carried away at this stage. We'll surely end up with a (very) decent score tomorrow but taking 20 wickets is going to be a challenge.

Was at The Oval yesterday. How many times do you hear (deluded) captains say "We're going to have a bowl as we think it'll do a bit first thing". Well, Bell can repent at leisure as he may still be in the field at 3pm today.
A lovely day, straw-coloured pitch (in early April?), quick outfield. And Warwickshire still chose to bowl first.
Stoneman looked solid, but the bowling was steady at best. I was less impressed with the ground. Inaudible announcements at the Vauxhall end, pricey beer and a scoreboard on the blink (with too-small numbers/letters even when it is working).
More grumbles. No concessions for OAPs and how can they justify a ground admission rise from £15 to £20 this season? Apart from all that, a nice day out.

sirfredperry wrote:Was at The Oval yesterday. How many times do you hear (deluded) captains say "We're going to have a bowl as we think it'll do a bit first thing". Well, Bell can repent at leisure as he may still be in the field at 3pm today.
 A lovely day, straw-coloured pitch (in early April?), quick outfield. And Warwickshire still chose to bowl first.
  Stoneman looked solid, but the bowling was steady at best. I was less impressed with the ground. Inaudible announcements at the Vauxhall end, pricey beer and a scoreboard on the blink (with too-small numbers/letters even when it is working).
  More grumbles. No concessions for OAPs and how can they justify a ground admission rise from £15 to £20 this season? Apart from all that, a nice day out.

At a members' shindig in the week and in response to continuing complaints about the public address system, one of the club's suits said it works very well but only when the ground is empty!

Leisurely partnership this morning from Sanga and Sibley. After 25 overs together they were still going at 2 an over. Sibley has now lifted his strike rate up to just above 30 with a few boundaries. Sanga falls just now for 71.

Surrey seemed happy to settle for 4 batting points, while also keeping Warks down to 1 bowling point.

All good and well to settle for 4 batting points with first dig on a good track provided this translates into 23 points by Monday night.

At the Oval again. Sibley solid which may turn out to be useful in the context of this game but some way from getting an IPL contract!

Shame Sanga's gone. He looked as if he would really have pushed on had he still been there after lunch. Foakes not holding back though and already into double figures.

Currently 392/4 with 30 mins to lunch. Should be looking for 500+ from here. That would be top notch but I repeat that getting 20 wickets won't be a piece of cake.

Hannon-Dalby and Clarke both bowling well for the Bears who continue to battle.

Afternoon all, here's to an optimistic start to the season! 

It's an excellent platform to build from. 405 - 4

Sounds like an excellent innings by Stoneman yesterday, very well paced. I hope that a consistent and experienced opening partner for Burns sees Third Degree develop further.

Sibley has such talent but he needs to develop a means to score runs against tight bowling. Especially when he doesn't have pace on the ball to work with. Patel has strangled him today and it's halted the Surrey momentum. He is built to be an opener with that preference of pace on the ball and refusal to give his wicket away!

Hmm ... not necessarily the afternoon we had in mind: Surrey's suspiciously long looking tail sees us lose last 6 for 49, then Warks get off to a solid start

All in all the latter parts of Surrey's innings sound rather painful. But 450 is still a good score.  Full marks to Burns and Stoneman for scoring briskly yesterday morning when the runs were on offer. Warks off to a steady start although Sam Curran strikes to remove Mellor.  All the other cc games in both divs are way more advanced than Surrey's. The key here seems to be to keep things very tight and hope to just winkle a batman out every now and again.

Yay! Footitt dismissed Trott and Bell both for ducks in a single over!


....and in his following over he traps Hain, also for a duck.  Three impressive scalps there.

39/4

If Footit can spend a year bowling like he did at the end of last season, he could be getting a plane to Australia this Winter.

Footitt really is on fire! Porterfield and now Rikki Clarke gone as well - yet another batsman to register a duck!

Warks last 10 overs - 5 wickets for 11 runs!

Footitt now has a five wicket haul in each of his last four championship games

Mark Footitt take a bow! 6-6

48 - 8 Footitt (again) and now Dernbach getting in on the act.

Warks last 10 overs: 9 runs for 5 wickets.

61 - 9 as Sam Curran takes his second wicket

91 all out. Very good performance on what appeared to be a good batting track. Hats off to Footitt - and to the close catchers who appear to have been practising hard pre-season.

[quote="guildfordbat"

Currently 392/4 with 30 mins to lunch. Should be looking for 500+ from here. That would be top notch but I repeat that getting 20 wickets won't be a piece of cake.

.  [/quote]

Sorry GB couldn't resist quoting that job only half done but what a day for the lads