Surrey news/articles

First topic message reminder :

Hi guys

Just a quick one to let you know that I have spoken with All Out Cricket regarding the amount of Surrey fans we have here at 606v2, and they're going to look to provide any Surrey related blogs/news/articles that they have to this section. Given that their office is located near to the Oval, they often chat with the Surrey guys and as such get some good interviews, so hopefully they can get some of those across here for you fellas to get your teeth into.

Cheers

NickisBHAFC wrote:Enjoy division 2 next season chaps 

Also thanks for Chris Jordan

  

Two early wickets for Footit today!

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Two early wickets for Footit today!

And now the same for Dunn!

Why are Surrey so bad 

Remarkably, as I've commented on the match thread, all the wickets Surrey took and all the runs they scored against Yorks on the first two days of the match were down to Surrey's young players (wickets: Ansari, Dunn and Jewell; runs: Burns and Sibley).  

So, hopefully if we place a bit more faith in our youth we may not be quite so bad next season!

Derbyshire look doomed to join us in Div 2 next season.

So in a Division where the other sides feature 7 who were below us this year and an 8th who were the only side we could beat in Div 1 in 2013, a swift return to Div 1 as 2014 Chamipions is surely guaranteed   

Hmmm

I think Surrey should and will come back up. But with there financial advantage they have over other counties, they really shouldn't be in Div 2.

What financial advantage is that?

With the squad they were building last year they shouldn't have ended up in division 2. However as we know various events took various turns, a few guys have underperformed, investments have perhaps not been made all that wisely... Personally looking at the squad this year and particularly with the absence of Smith, injury struggles of Meaker and form struggles of a couple of others... not sure the squad is really that strong TBH.

Batting is average, apart from whoever has been on as overseas there is no proven quality in the line-up. Solanki is probably the player with the most pedigree but on a downspiral, and after him who? Davies probably, who is a very good keeper-batsman, but most sides will have 2-3 better batsmen in their line-ups at least (even in Div 2). The youngsters haven't come on as hoped, although I would still have hopes for Burns and Roy, but they need an experienced head or two around them to bring them on - had Smith or Ponting or Amla been around the whole season that would have made a difference.

Wicket-keeping is a strength with both Davies (who is amongst the top 5 in England) and Wilson as more than able back-up. Again the fact that Wilson has had to play I think almost all the county matches is not particularly encouraging.

Spin bowling is decent, but can't be considered a strength. The Keedy signing made little sense at the time and even less now. Batty is hard working and a decent county spinner, but pretty much every county has a spinner of about his standard now (a few years ago he was a good county spinner in the mold of say a Tredwell; now I would rank him alongside the likes of Middlebrook more). Ansari looks like being the best of the 3, but is still learning, and even then won't be a world beater (but he would be a notch above the current Batty I feel).

Seam bowling could/should have been a strength, but has been hampered by the demands to play Tremlett back into form and fitness, Lewis's continued struggles, Meaker's fitness issues and Dernbach's inconsistency.

Looking onto next year Surrey could do with an overseas batsman who will be around for most if not all the season, and another seasoned batsman with proven quality. They should then back their youngsters to come good, with the likes of Solanki and Wilson as reserves if people don't make the grade. Because both Ansari and Batty are more than useful batsmen, they can probably afford to play Davies at 6 followed by those 2 and 3 seamers. Who those 3 seamers should be is unclear, although I think Meaker has a good future and should be perservered with, and Linley provides the reliable seam option a la Richardson/Murtagh/Masters who is so very useful in county cricket. Whoever they pick will have to provide more with the bat in any case.

None of this addresses the culture at the club which has clearly been a problem, both amongst the players, staff and committee rooms from reports on here.

If Surrey invest wisely they can build a squad which should challenge for promotion, but it is by no means a done deal - there are plenty of good sides around now. Should they fail to address what are real issues, then in all honesty they will need a lot to go right for them to get anywhere close IMO.

Not meaning to sound overly harsh, but that's how I see things right now for you guys.

Mike - thanks, I think that is a very fair analysis and I agree with pretty much all of it.  

The two big setbacks for the season were indeed Smith getting crocked and Meaker's position. Meaker spent pretty much the entire season about to go down with injury, out with injury or attempting to regain his rhythm in coming back after injury.

Couple of additional comments - Lewis' "struggles" really just reflect the fact that this was a poor signing - an excellent fastish bowler but at the very tail end of his career when continuing decline was virtually inevitable from the outset.

I think you may be a tad generous in describing Batty as a more than useful batsmen.  OK he has scored a useful scattering of runs in a losing cause recently. But over a prolonged period he hasn't really justified occupying a position above about no 9 in the batting order. As to his bowling, I would think that Batty is about average (not in the disparaging sense) for a Div 2 spinner.

Oh blimey. Just in case, I was joking with my 'shoo in for 2014 Champions' comment above.

Any contribution to these boards which mentions Surrey's perceived wealth, talent pool or arrogance can be dismissed out of hand. Vacuous, trite tosh.

Yes, Surrey are in a mess of their own making. But with the likes of Ansari, Burns, Wilson, Meaker, Dernbach, Roy, Linley, Edwards, Dunn, Harinath and now Sibley, there might just be some light at last at the end of the 'where's all the home grown talent not bought in from elsewhere gone?' tunnel.

Indeed Simon l look for every opportunity to use my favourite smiley

Simon not aimed at you at all I can assure you. I think the 3 whistling smileys made your position clear.

Sibley and Burns must be given a run as an opening partnership next year. Then an experienced number 3, Roy or Harinath, an experienced number 5, then Davies. All IMO of course.

I wouldn't be fussed in your shoes if Batty (who is an honest, or "average" (in the original meaning of the term) in the words of the Corporal, spinner, but no better) was dropped but can Ansari be the 1 spinner in a 4 man attack? I suspect you need another bowling option from somewhere. Someone of the profile of de Bruyn who could score runs, and hopefully wouldn't have to bowl as much...

Thanks CorpHB and Mike S,

Surely the opening partnership next year will be G Smith plus one, unless he chooses to drop to eg No 4 to shore up the ship? I hope the message has got through to those at the top that it is time for us to shed, with all due thanks, the bulk of our older players from elsewhere and trust our youngsters. Lewis is gone, Keedy should be released and so should The Brain.

At a time when the undisputed captain of England plies his 4 day trade - when available - for his county in CC2, being there is no biggie. Indeed, I'd rather our youngsters grew at that level until their collective performances were good enough to get us promoted. Enough with the silly short term panic buys of oldies from elsewhere. Given time, I'm confident that at least most of the Surrey kids will be alright.

I have to say I agree with Mike S in that I'd like to see a set opening partnership tried for next year and Sibley/Burns are perfect for that in my mind. Smith is a great opener no doubt but won't be there for the entire season so I'd look to put him in at three.

1.Burns
2.Sibley
3.Smith or hopefully a strong replacement when he's not available
4.Need a big signing here to shore up the batting IMO
5.Roy or Harinath
6.Davies (wk)
7.Ansari
8.Meaker
9.Linley
10.Tremlett
11.Dernbach/Edwards/Dunn

Right now the above is the best I can think of but it has a very long tail.

Ideally I think me need a really good signing to fill the number 4 spot such as Malan, and if it were at all possible someone capable of filling the 7 role as a batsmen who can bowl some useful overs. Both are the sort of players in high demand so won't be easy to find though.

Need to remember that Sibley will still be at school in first part of season.

very impressed with Sibley...he will have to go some to better that innings!

Some good comments above about Surrey's current difficulties.

There's a hardhitting article covering some of them by local journalist Richard Spiller in this week's Surrey Advertiser. He certainly doesn't hold back on laying into Adams. Comments include:

''Now Surrey have to rebuild again and that will involve surgery to a squad which - thanks to Adams's recruitment policy and lack of interest in talent produced by the county's own development system - is largely comprised of players either over 35 or under 25, with precious little in between.
A new coach, likely to be South African Graham Ford, should soon be appointed though Stewart and Stuart Barnes - the bowling coach who was put in day to day control - will remain involved and deserve credit for attempting to turn around a situation which was already too far gone for redemption.''

Spiller then quotes Stewart thus:
''I don't want to stay in Division Two for longer than one year but when you do get promoted you want to make sure the foundations are there so that you can stay in the first division and then challenge at the top end rather than trying to survive at the bottom.''

Spiller further comments and again very pointedly at Adams:
''Achieving that will not be easy. Jon Lewis and Zander de Bruyn, of the veteran brigade, have already been released and Surrey's room for manoeuvre is limited by the wage cap which governs all the counties plus contracts which had already been agreed by the Adams regime.
If Stewart is to be involved on a long-term basis, which is still to be confirmed, it may reassure those who want to see Surrey return to a policy of - and stick to it - where they look to build from their own resources, even if it does take a bit longer, rather than becoming a short-term home for experienced cricketers on the final lap and a global stopping point for others.''

Surrey have given Tom Jewell a contract for another year and have awarded summer contracts to the Burger Van (who is at Durham Uni) and Jack Winslade.

Quote from Stewart on Surrey website refers to Jewell pressing for inclusion in all forms of the game.  Very much an open question as to whether he will make the grade and next year will presumably be make or break.  But it would he good to see him get a realistic opportunity to prove himself.

Winslade seems very promising judging by some of his performances for the England  U19s.  He's referred to as an all rounder, although at the moment bowling looks the more promising.

Thanks for the update, Corporal. I had missed that news.

Saw Winslade in a seconds' match at Guildford back in July. I thought he looked a decent prospect with bat and ball. Pleased he's been signed up along with Jewell and the Burger Van.

As said before, very poor management by Adams not to play Jewell in any of the pre-season games this year. Agree with you that it will be good for him to get a realistic opportunity. Suspect Jewell, Curran and Winslade will be battling for one spot (maybe two on a good day for them, nil on a bad one!) around number 7 or 8. Jewell has the advantage of being there from the off in 2014.

In the latest edition of the Surrey Advertiser, Richard Spiller reports that Stuart Meaker "will have surgery on his troublesome left knee and is under the care of a top Swedish specialist while fellow paceman George Edwards has had an ankle operation".

The normally reliable* Spiller goes on to write, "Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford is expected to be announced as the new man in charge soon although Stewart is likely to remain heavily involved."

* Spiller had stated earlier in the article - which was published before the Club's announcement about new contracts for Jewell, Burger Van and Winslade - that, besides "veterans" Lewis and the Brain, "no other departures are expected".

As has been expected for a little while, Surrey today confirmed the appointment of Graham Ford on a three year contract beginnining February 2014.

Some comments have already been made elsewhere as to his job title of ''Head Coach''. This perhaps signifies concentration upon fully developing the young talent at the Club and a move away from the recent approach of signing veteran professionals.

The Club have stated that, ''Ford will work alongside Alec Stewart - who will continue serving on the Club board with the new title as Director of Cricket - and Club Captain Graeme Smith, who is due to return to Surrey ahead of the 2014 season.''

At first sight, that looks like Stewart has replaced Chris Adams (former director of cricket) and that Ford is taking over from former first team coach Ian Salisbury who got the chop with Adams. However, Salisbury always seemed to be very much in Adams' shadow and was not much noticed by supporters. I would expect Ford to be far more up front and the face of the Club, with Stewart more in the background than was the case with Adams.

I also understand that Stuart Barnes - originally recruited as bowling coach, then becoming acting first team coach after the mid-season cull - has been retained as assistant to Ford.

Interesting times - once more.

This represents a move towards the coaching structure now popular at many counties. My experience from Middlesex - where Angus Fraser is 'Managing Director of Cricket' and Richard Scott 'Head Coach' - is that Fraser is in charge of contracts/ selection/ overall management and Scott the man who actually wears the tracksuit and leads training sessions. Adams' 'Cricket Manager' role seemed to cover both of these, with Salisbury as his deputy. I expect Stewart will now take a role quite like Fraser's at Middx, though Ford is likely to be more high profile than Scott is.

I think this works well if the right people are appointed. The Director of Cricket has to carry a lot of authority - Stewart should at Surrey, as Fraser does at Middx. Graham Ford is highly regarded and should be a decent appointment, even if I have my reservations about overseas coaches in county cricket.

I am optimistic that it is a good appointment.  I am not convinced that Stewart himself has an enormous amount of subtlety / flexibility / original thinking to inform his management style so we will benefit from a coach that can supply those to complement Stewart's other undoubted strengths.

Meanwhile, in other Surrey news, my (top) man Spiller reports that Meaker goes under the knife for his knee op on 29 October.

Latest from Richard Spiller is that Surrey are seeking to agree terms with Gary Keedy for him to depart now, half way through his two year contract. Not a huge surprise.

guildfordbat wrote:Latest from Richard Spiller is that Surrey are seeking to agree terms with Gary Keedy for him to depart now, half way through his two year contract. Not a huge surprise.

That is in line with what I heard from George Dobell during the Middlesex match.

Keeds has now I believe agreed the terms of his departure from Surrey,however he remains of the opinion he still has something to offer at the top level despite his age,and I've no doubt he has.
Middlesex might do well to have a word,whilst Ravi Patel continues to improve,the feeling is he is not quite mature enough to to take on the role that Tufnell and Edmonds performed in the past.An experienced old hand might be the solution in the short term.

Possibly back to Lancs??? If kerrigan is in england's thoughts leaves them stuck in a spinner missing..

Ok, so let's take stock:
Lewis, Keedy and The Brain are out
Roy, Ansari, Jewell, vd Bergh and Winslade have signed new deals.

Call me a mad impetuous thing but I think I spy a pattern here - and I think I like it.

Simon - I agree.  Will also be crucial that Smith is fit and ready for next season to help the team progress.

Latest I have heard from the squad is this Smith appears to still be suffering from the head injury he suffered last month in Pakistan according to the BBC. He has withdrawn from the ODIs as a precaution. Plenty of time to recover from that before the new season though.

Burns seems to be flying high in OZ.  

Elsewhere, although I was hoping that Davies may go overseas this winter to continue his cricketing recovery, so far he seems to be following last years experience: According to his Twitter he is flying out to Atlanta this weekend, and Elton John just happens to be playing there in 10 days!

Still subject to official confirmation (and you didn't hear it from me  ) but Surrey's opening home CC fixture of the 2014 season is expected to be against Glamorgan, beginning on Sunday 6th April.

Cheers for the update guildford!

As usual with Surrey I'm not sure what to make of it. With Glamorgan's record in the CC is it a game we should aim to win? Probably, in which case it's at threat to the weather with the early start. Does it give a new look Surrey a game to ease in or will a Glamorgan come flying out the blocks trying to prove a point and catch a new look side undercooked?

Without knowing what the team will look like yet it's hard to know what to expect in the slightest really.  In recent seasons that has been the unique charm of Surrey sides however!

Looking forward to the Hants vs Surrey games this year guys!

Does anyone know how our guys have been getting on overseas this winter? I know Rory Burns got a T20 hundred quite a while ago but it's all gone quiet on the Surrey twitter account and I know Jason Roy for example is still out in Oz.

Hi Carrot - yeah, it has gone quiet on the club website about the young guys overseas. Hopefully that's admin incompetence rather than a fear of communicating bad news. You'll have to go back to stalking them on their individual twitter accounts   !

Meanwhile, Tremlett played for Sydney Sixers in the t20 Big Bash last week and bowled just one over (0/9). He didn't play in their following game a couple of days ago.  

Not Surrey news as such.  But to mention that for Christmas I got Steve Chalke's book: Micky Stewart and the changing face of cricket.  A good read - remarkable to remember that he was playing at a time when the gentlemen and players had separate dressing rooms.  Plenty of references to Surrey players that old stagers will remember.

One useless piece of info. Was looking through the lists of oldest living test cricketers (80 plus) and Micky Stewart was the only one I ever saw play. (Plenty of others on the list I "heard" playing on the radio, eg Graveney, Close, MJK Smith, Basil Butcher, Nurse, John Reid)

For any fellow Surrey boys looking in, just to mention that I've today given an update on Pietersen from the county perspective on the ''England career over'' thread.

Cheers for that Guildford, good to have an update!

Personally I think it would be a massive shame if he didn't play CC cricket again and not just from a Surrey perspective. It's something that irks me about many England players of recent years that once their international career is over few look to really give something back to the county circuit.

Personally I wouldn't actually be too surprised if he did play a few games though. People quote his ego stating that it will prevent him going through the grind of the 4-day game, but given the circumstances of how his International career has ended I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to spend the later half of the season trying to put two fingers up at the ECB by scoring a shed load!

He will undoubtedly want to play the whole IPL and probably the big bash etc too but after the IPL alone he isn't going to be struggling for money! His original move to Surrey was also said to be largely motivated by wanted to spend time with his family if I remember correctly.

Bottom line from a Surrey perspective is that if we could have his batting in the current side I expect most would welcome him with open arms!

I see KP has commited to playing the T20 bash for Surrey

So the squad are out in South Africa at the moment and played their first pre season match which was a defeat in a one day game against a Western Province 11. Surrey got 241/7 with Burns 106, Jewell 40, Roy 32 (he batted at number 4 - I wonder if that is a plan for him, if it is I quite like the idea) Davies 19, Harinath 15.

We had them 78/4 but they won it from there by 6 wickets. Tremlett, Linley, Edwards and Curran all got a wicket. Result not really important and at least it seems like we're having a worthwhile pre season this year with actual matches rather than playing against each other like last year! Another one day game tomorrow so I assume other squad members will be involved.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2577374/KP-rejoins-county-set-looks-forward-summer-Surrey.html

Good news for Surrey fans this

Is it true he's doing it for free?

I doubt he'd play for free but I also don't think he's in it for the money with us as he could get better elsewhere (the Carribean T20 for example). We might even see him in some 4 day games which would be nice.

We lost again today btw by 36 runs. Curran 4-40 and Burns got 56 but that was about it. 2 day game starting Wednesday, hopefully some more guys show some form.

Olly wrote:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2577374/KP-rejoins-county-set-looks-forward-summer-Surrey.html

Good news for Surrey fans this

Is it true he's doing it for free?

Hi Olly - certainly good news for Surrey but also for the county game as a whole the more Pietersen plays.

Unfortunately, 11 of Surrey's 16 CC matches are in April, May and June and Pietersen will be unavailable for many of those due to IPL commitments. The contract he's signed with Surrey has been described as ''essentially T20 whilst allowing for CC and One Dayers''. Basically, Surrey want him as much as possible and he's keen to at least keep options open. Unlike almost every other team he's played for, there's a healthy mutual relationship between Pietersen and Surrey (so far anyway). Pietersen certainly isn't playing for free although may well have demanded more dosh to play anywhere else.

Even though Surrey will be shelling out decent money on Pietersen, one benefit for the club is that his salary this season is ignored for salary cap purposes. I've recently found out that's the case for the first year with all England players losing their central contract and returning to their county. It's particularly helpful to Surrey as they are one of the few clubs that can afford to pay up to the cap.

Will you get to see Pietersen at Guildford then Mr Bat?

I'm sure they'll be considerable spikes in attendance when he's playing. All good for club revenue and it's good to see KP is wanting to play, although I do have a lingering doubt about his motives at the back of my mind

Olly - I had the pleasure of seeing Pietersen destroy Lancs and particularly poor Kerrigan when he made an undefeated double century for Surrey at Guildford in 2012. Brilliant combination of exquisite timing and sheer power. It would be wonderful to see him there again this summer but must be careful not to jinx that just yet.

I understand where you are coming from with your comment about his motives and wouldn't die in a ditch disputing things. However, I would add that he is a complex character (so quite possibly more than one motive in his mind) with, at least at the time of writing, a very good relationship with Surrey.

So the 2 day game was a draw (unsurprisingly) but fifites for Burns, Davies and Batty and an unbeaten 100 for Roy means some decent time in the middle for lots of players on this tour. Lots of overs bowled too and wickets seem to have been shared between all of the bowlers so all in all on the face of it seems like a pretty successful trip.

Carrotdude wrote:So the 2 day game was a draw (unsurprisingly) but fifites for Burns, Davies and Batty and an unbeaten 100 for Roy means some decent time in the middle for lots of players on this tour. Lots of overs bowled too and wickets seem to have been shared between all of the bowlers so all in all on the face of it seems like a pretty successful trip.

Hi Carrot - agree with that about the trip. Said similar on the wallpaper site.

Here's a punt on the team for the first CC match - just 22 days away now. Other than Sibley at school, I'm wildly assuming all will be fit and available. Not necessarily my XI but the one that could be chosen:

1. Smith
2. Burns
3. Harinath
4. Solanki
5. Roy
6. Davies
7. Ansari
8. Jewell
9. Meaker
10. Tremlett
11. Linley

Comments?

Wilson might play if he is back from WT20 in time for the first match?  Will be interesting to see whether Jewell does get a run in the first team.