SURREY VS MIDDLESEX LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 0NE 2023

Surrey have named a 13 man squad for the LV=Insurance County Championship game at home to Middlesex starting on Thursday 11th may at the kia oval.
As an ECB centrally contracted player England have chosen to rest Ollie Pope for this fixture ahead of the international summer. Ollie will be available for selection next week.      
Dan Moriarty is left out of the squad that travelled to Chelmsford last week.
The game will be shown live on sky sports cricket.
FULL SQUAD:
Rory Burns (c)
Sean Abbott
Gus Atkinson
Jordan Clark
Ben Foakes
Will Jacks
Tom Lawes
Ryan Patel
Kemar Roach
Dom Sibley
Jamie Smith
Cam Steel
Dan Worrall
Have to be happy that they didn't want Foakes rested as well  
You would think Patel will come in for Pope, and maybe this is the game Roach gets a rest if so maybe Steel can join him on drink duties.
Over to you chaps  

Thanks as always, JimBob.

As you say, the game is being shown live on Sky. There's expected to be a lunchtime interview with Matt Dunn to highlight the efforts being made to raise funds for research into Dravet epilepsy which claimed the life of his two year old daughter Florence recently. Tragic case and incredibly brave of Matt.

As for Pope, total nonsense to rest a fit batsman in his early 20s and in good form. His best preparation for the Ashes is more time in the middle, not sitting on a sofa watching The Chase and Pointless!

Agree Patel comes in for Pope. I'll guess Roach won't be rested - if he's going to be rested, why name him in the squad? It makes no sense but, as Goochie said last time, that's what happened with Worrall the other week!?! Maybe Lawes (again) and Steel to miss out.

Skipper Toby Roland-Jones who was rested for Middlesex's last match comes back for this one. He usually does well against us.

As you would expect, I'll definitely be there tomorrow although the weather forecast is unfortunately disappointing.

Cheers Jimbob

Lawes and Steel miss out. Does weaken the batting, especially in the absence of Pope but I think it's the right call to go for the extra bowler

Not going well so far, I'm sure guildford will fill us in later

jimbobgooner wrote:Not going well so far, I'm sure guildford will fill us in later

this aged well

5 wkts for Worrall

Thought we bowled poorly til tea except for Atkinson, then they put the ball in the right place on a helpful pitch and conditions, and boy did it pay off....hope Guildford didn't leave early!

Good morning chaps - yes, Goochie is on the money. Before tea, we were either poor or, at best, inconsistent but really excellent in the final session against a woeful Middlesex batting line up once Robson and Malan were back in the hutch.
Worrall was the epitome of that. Particularly loose and wayward in his two morning sessions (surprised he had two) but constantly accurate and menacing later in the day.
Atkinson was far more consistent and seems to have added some pace as he often got lift out of the green wicket. Roach probably falls into the category of “unlucky” as he threatened the most in the first session, deserving his one wicket then and at least the couple he ended up with. Abbott was tidy and threatened at times but not often enough.
The bowler I was most disappointed with was Clark. Not dreadful but just wasteful as he bowled too much outside off allowing the batsmen to leave the ball when we should have been testing them far more as the skies darkened.
Some good catching to take the wickets. Sibley with three at first slip. Could and should even have been four but he grassed Eskinazi off Atkinson. I don’t know if any of you saw it on Sky but my real time viewing at the ground was that he was disturbed by Foakes who initially dived for the ball and then left it. Fortunately for us, it cost little. Might not be the same in an
Ashes Test.  
Where are we now in this one? Imo, considerably ahead despite giving Middlesex an early and unnecessary lead. Although our opponents have a good and proven seam attack, I just don’t think their first dig score of 209 is enough. Surely our numbers 7 to 11 combined can get half of that?

50 for Smith
elsewhere a rather embarrassing defeat for the stiffs at Gloucestershire

jimbobgooner wrote:50 for Smith
elsewhere a rather embarrassing defeat for the stiffs at Gloucestershire  

Yeah, people were talking at the Oval this afternoon about the stiffs losing. I don’t rate Geddes as a captain one bit.

On way home now. More about today a bit later.

Not great conditions at the Oval yesterday for cricketers - or spectators! Drizzle in the morning and then cold and grey when play started after lunch at 1:50 until enough was understanably enough for the umpires around 5:20.

Tbf to Surrey, they moved the game along well in the limited time available. Burns led from the front with an unusually aggressive innings and was unlucky to miss out on a century. Smith was also impressive and hopefully he can fully convert his half-ton today. He did have a bit of good fortune though being dropped twice in the slips, the cold weather almost certainly not helping the fielders.

I was hoping Patel could get some runs but it was not to be. In his brief stay he looked short of form and confidence. Finally, he gloved a rising delivery from Higgins to slip although he seemed to follow the ball more than it followed him. Although Higgins took a couple, I thought Bamber was the Middle's best bowler. No great pace but largely accurate and low with a touch of movement.

Anyway, get as many runs and bonus points for JimBob as possible, build a healthy lead and then get about them again has to be the recipe for today. I'm at home today but aim to look in on Sky now and again.

oh Jamie

jimbobgooner wrote:oh Jamie

Yep, Smith getting stumped shortly before lunch on 97 sure was an ''oh Jamie'' moment. Another important innings from him though. Valuabe runs once more added by the tail as well. Abbott has got over 30 in 4 of his 5 knocks this season. Meanwhile, Worrall's idea of defensive play is to try and hit a four rather than a six! It must certainly hack off the opposition as he's coming off atm whilst Roach makes clear he's not giving his wicket away without a fight.

We didn't get as many wickets yesterday as I would have liked but still reckon we'll be ok. Certainly ours to win or draw ....

Middlesex 68 in front with 2 wkts in hand at lunch

70 to win

Another excellent all round performance from Surrey, and Clark obviously took heed of Guildford's 'criticism' earlier! Another win without spin!

thegooch7 wrote:Another excellent all round performance from Surrey, and Clark obviously took heed of Guildford's 'criticism' earlier! Another win without spin!

Other than goochie giving me credit, he's spot on.