Surrey vs Middlesex Panthers T20 Blast

Surrey have named a fourteen man squad for the NatWest T20 Blast game against the Middlesex Panthers at the Kia Oval tomorrow evening.
Kevin Pietersen is unavailable for the game due to ongoing problems with the finger injury which hampered him throughout the IPL.  
Pietersen will be available to play against Essex in the NatWest T20 Blast at the Kia Oval on Friday June 6th and for the remainder of the competition.  
Hashim Amla is included in a Surrey T20 Blast squad for the first time and Gareth Batty is also available.
The Surrey squad to play the Middlesex Panthers at the Kia Oval on Friday 30th May:
Gary Wilson (capt)
Hashim Amla
Zafar Ansari
Gareth Batty
Rory Burns
Tom Curran
Steven Davies
Jade Dernbach
Matthew Dunn
Aneesh Kapil
Kevin O’Brien
Azhar Mahmood
Robin Peterson
Jason Roy 
another game for meaker to be rested again   

Hi folks - back from deepest Dorset. The most significant aspect for me of Pietersen missing this game is that there's now very little chance of him playing in the CC fixture against Worcs starting on Sunday. I'm sure we've been trying hard to tempt him back for that, particularly with Amla and Sibley unavailable. Unless Stewart can pull another rabbit out of the hat, looks like Kapil will come in against Worcs and bat at around number 7 with others shuffling up the order.

Cheers as always for setting up the thread and good to have you back Guildford. Hope it was a good break!

Looking to the game tomorrow as the possible line-up for Sunday is giving me a headache:

1.Roy
2.Davies
3.Amla
4.Wilson (wk) (c)
5.O'Brien
6.Mahmood
7.Ansari
8.Batty
9.Peterson
10.Curran or Dunn
11.Dernbach

So is KP a Surrey player or not? Now he's also signed for a WI Prem team! Seems bizarre that a supposed Surrey player can pick and choose when he play for the county.

Pietersen only signed up for Surrey t20s this season although the hope / expectation was that he would also be available for certain CC and 50 over matches. He's therefore contractually permitted to play in the West Indies as well as long as it doesn't clash with his Surrey t20 games. Even so, the reality has to be that his West Indies adventures will substantially put the mockers on him playing for Surrey in any other formats. Very disappointing and even more different to how his signing around the start of the season was presented to supporters.

Perfect call on the team by King Carlos with Curran preferred over Dunn. Thanks for the welcome back btw.

Surrey win toss and bowl ....

Good start by Surrey. Middlesex 38/3 off 7. Ball seems to be moving around. Batting not easy but Middlesex looking rather rudderless so far ....

First time in a while I've called the team correctly I think!

Only just been able to chime in for very end of the match here but things looking great.

Surrey 103/3 from 15 overs chasing 118 to win.

Seems a terrific bowling effort from all but especially Curran with figures of 4-0-15-2   

Hi King - Curran certainly bowled well, had a real fizz. Credit as well though to Wilson for using his young bowler well - slotted him into the middle overs to bowl his 4 on the reel. Have said before that bowlers often need to find rhythm and that their captains sometimes don't help them by mixing up their attack too frequently.

All in all, a good professional team performance.

I was impressed by Curran's bowling in the YB40 matches last season and on the whole he's bowled well in the T20s this year, especially tonight. I think in a few years time he could be a handy death bowler with the white ball.

Good point about allowing him to bowl his four overs in one spell. Wilson did a decent job as captain although I suppose with hindsight he maybe bowled Batty an over too far and could have gone to Azhar. Batty was bowling nicely though at the time.

Looking ahead to next Friday if KP is fit, who do people think he will replace ? One of the spinners ?

Likewise, pleased to see another good effort from Curran.  Interesting that Ansari didn't get a bowl tonight, but it would be a pity if he was the one to make way for KP.

Voice of the Beehive wrote: ...

Looking ahead to next Friday if KP is fit, who do people think he will replace ? One of the spinners ?

Whilst three spinners might be a bit excessive given Ansari didn't bowl tonight, it does allow us further options - something so important in t20. Furthermore, none of the three are complete mugs with the bat.

I would be tempted to jettison Davies for Pietersen.