SURREY VS YORKSHIRE/SOMERSET SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

First topic message reminder :

SURREY HAVE NAMED A 13 MAN SQUAD, INCLUDING MARK STONEMAN AND KUMAR SANGAKKARA, FOR THE VISIT OF YORKSHIRE IN THE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP, STARTING ON TUESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER.
Surrey, however, will now be without Jason Roy and Tom Curran for the rest of the season due to their England white ball commitments.
Conor McKerr will be unavailable for the remainder of the campaign having sustained an ankle injury.
There is no place in the squad for Scott Borthwick after a run of poor form but there is for Freddie Van den Burgh
THE FULL SQUAD IS:
Gareth Batty (c)
Rory Burns
Rikki Clarke
Sam Curran
Jade Dernbach
Ben Foakes (wk)
Stuart Meaker
Ryan Patel
Ollie Pope
Kumar Sangakkara
Mark Stoneman
Freddie van den Bergh
Amar Virdi
The burger van plus either Dernbach or Virdi to miss out need the corporal for a weather update to decide the last spot.
Over to you chaps

5 wkts for Rikki

is Rory Burns the most untrusted cricketer in the country

Presumably their tail will add several hundred as usual!

269 all out - now not going to assume, but considering Somerset chose to bat, I'd suggest that's a bloody good effort. Will await Guildford's report for full opinions on the pitch/effort though

7 wkts for Rikki

the total opposite of last week batting is hard work

Dramatic turn around after lunch - magnificent effort by Rikki Clarke. Yorks, Middlesex and Hants all on top or threatening to get on top in their matches and all those matches are progressing rapidly, suggesting likelihood of positive results - so it's absolutely vital that Surrey bat well in this first innings.

42 - 0 at close. A very much better day than had looked likely 5 minutes before lunch today! Could well be that this is actually the crucial one of all four Div 1 matches in progress at the moment. (I'd be surprised if any of the other three go anywhere near the distance.)

kingdaveeagle wrote:Presumably their tail will add several hundred as usual!

Rikki made sure that didn't happen dave

I know some Middlesex supporters who call him Rikkety Clarke but our latest signing showed he was fully working today! An excellent performance. Probably even better - certainly more sustained - than Footitt's sixfer against Warks in the season's opener. Clarke consistently bowled a good line and at times with a surprising amount of pace.

Olly asked about the track. Generally, it was again batsman friendly playing good and true. Unsurprisingly, there was hardly any sign of wear at lunch or tea. However, it did seem to have a very slight touch of green to possibly give a bit of interest to the seamers. It did provide more lift than that for the Yorks game (this wicket was two along heading towards the Tenison School although the Gasholder boundary was still the nearer) which Clarke and the luckless Meaker exploited.

Clarke demolishing the stumps of Hildreth and Trego obviously looked wonderful to any Surrey supporter but my favourite wicket was when he got Bartlett to edge one to slip. Sanga dived to take a lovely low catch - with only a match and a half to go, possibly the last catch in his first class career. If so, glad I was there to see it.

There was no turn for Batty but he bowled with accuracy and deserved two lbw shouts being answered in his favour. The first of those, Trescothick on the brink of lunch, was crucial. He had looked very assured and I feared he was comfortably heading towards a century and taking Somerset to a large total. His wicket opened the door for Clarke to come to the party at the start of the afternoon session. Davies prevented our celebrations being as loud as they might have been and scored quickly before being the last Ciderman to fall.

I wasn't able to stay for much of our reply but we clearly did well to get to stumps with all wickets still in hand and 40 odd runs knocked off. Overton troubled Burns in the first over and appeared to get some movement, probably more from the conditions - the day was on the cool side and the lights came on after tea.

Tricky for me to judge a par first innings score but imo we're definitely ahead tonight. By how much, we should have a much better idea tomorrow evening. Ours to build on or chuck away from here.

One possible issue - you might want to look away, JimBob. When Somerset's innings ended, our over rate was shown on the scoreboard as minus 3. Unless we can adequately explain why or make up the deficit second dig, we could be facing the loss of some bonus points. Although umpires often seem content to sweep slow over rates under the carpet at the end of a Championship match, I'm not sure they'll do the same in these closing rounds. After Arrowgate at the Oval in which Middlesex were docked 2 points and only 13 points now separating five teams in the relegation mix, the subject is high profile which may stop a blind eye being turned.

Stoneman has just passed 1,000 runs Div 1 runs for the season. Only the second batsman to achieve this (Sanga of course being the other). Rory Burns is next in the queue!

Safely navigated the first half hour of play - 77-0, with the lead now below 200.

A real chance for Surrey to bat Somerset out of this game now. If we take advantage of it, you'd think safety from any lingering fears of relegation will be secured

50 for Rocky

Treg's strikes to remove Stoneman. We've actually bowled well last night and today, but both openers have batted better, so good to remove one.

Hopefully the opening of the floodgates

Just looked at the Championship averages and we have six batters in the top 20!

...though our bowler (still at the club) with the best average is in fiftieth.

Well we've let Somerset back into this

Clatter of wickets...122 -3 at lunch. Somerset's morning I'd say as we're now heavily dependent on Sanga and Foakes between them to take us up to somewhere near Somerset's score.

Just watching a bit on the stream today.

Not that different from Somerset's first dig so far. 97 for Surrey's first wicket (96 for Somerset) with Stoneman and Burns doing the Trescothick and Byrom roles. But when the first wicket came, others quickly followed. Seems a darker and gloomier day which is probably helping the ball to move around. Trego certainly bowing well and picking up a couple.

I wasn't convinced about Patel's dismissal, given out caught behind. Ball definitely flicked his pad, might have touched the glove after that - not sure.

As the Corporal says, Somerset's morning. Definitely need Sanga and Foakes to put some runs on the board. We bat fairly deep on paper but can't score on grass.

trego doing his impression of stevens

1st batting point

50 for kumar

238-4 trailing by 31 now - another a real chance to get 350+ and bat ourselves into a dominant position in the match. His holiness and the GOAT with a partnership of 69 (nice) so far

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:238-4 trailing by 31 now - another a real chance to get 350+ and bat ourselves into a dominant position in the match. His holiness and the GOAT with a partnership of 69 (nice) so far

Thanks Olly. Last time you said something like that, we got a string of wickets

bad light stops play

2nd batting point

50 for his holiness

and gone

kumar into the nervous nineties

3rd batting point

YESSSSSSSSSS 100 FOR THE KING

Sangakkara becomes the first player since Trescothick in 2009 to hit 8 centuries in a first class season.

What a player

King Sanga - what a player! Excellent innings by His Holiness as well - came at a crucial time when we could easily have conceded a first innings lead.

Very satisfactory day's play for Surrey after the wobble just before lunch. Particularly commendable considering the number of times the players came off briefly for bad light.

There's 8 more overs tomorrow for Surrey to score 22 runs for a 4th batting point, while Somerset need 3 more wickets for a third bowling point.

Sangakkara has now scored eight centuries in 13 (THIRTEEN) first class innings this summer - ludicrous!

He's over 350 runs ahead of the next top scorer despite playing 3 less innings and is averaging 124.

It's almost like he has some form of cheat code to battjngor something

Thanks largely to the King we're in a good place.

Aims for the morning - get JimBob a 4th batting point and extend our lead to at least 120. It would be a fine time for Clarke to rediscover some form with the willow.

I wouldn't mind Somerset having 15 minutes to bat before lunch. That should be water off a duck's back to an old hand like Trescothick but young Byrom - still looking for his first fifty - might not like it.

Above anything else tomorrow morning, South West Trains (or whatever those clowns call themselves this week) to run on time. I'm off to the Oval and want to see every ball Sanga plays.

Guildford - I do hope you get to set a bit more of Sanga tomorrow. Savour every ball!

After I was less than flattering a few days ago about Rikki Clarke's batting of recent seasons, he promptly put together a very useful 40+ score in the last match against Yorks. We could certainly do with something like that tomorrow.

I was thinking Sanga's form this season reminds me of Ramps' two golden years when he averaged 100 for Surrey - the expectation of supporters, and probably the opposition as well, was that he would get a big score every time he walked out to the crease.

There was a great line in Tim Wigmore's write up on Cricinfo - "The best moment of his innings for this correspondent was when Dom Bess, Somerset's young off spinner turned one past the edge of Sangakkara, then next ball Sangakkara languidly strode down the wicket and dispatched Bess over his head for six as if to state - I'm in charge here"

Sums up the greatness of the man - always one step ahead

Despite the game seemingly getting away from Somerset, I've got to say what a privilege it has been to see Sangakarra at closer quarters these last few years.

One of the greatest players of all time.

On my way to the ground, feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve!

Unsure whether it should be a batting or bowling day. Plenty of clouds about but sun shining through at times.

Instructions for Surrey's 8, 9, 10 and Jack this morning - as long as the King is there, stay with him!

4th batting point achieved and the GOAT and Clarke have safely navigated the first half hour of play

Lead is now 92 - with four wickets still left. Surrey taking control of this one

Sanga and Clarke taking the match away from Somerset - lead up to 127, still with four wickets in hand. Increasingly, looks like best Somerset can aim for is a draw. (And they will be disappointed to have only achieved 2 bowling points) A draw is of course usually eminently achievable on an Oval day 3/4 pitch. Looks like there is zilch in the pitch for spinners. Bess certainly taking some stick this morning.

150 for Sanga! What can one say! Other than that the bar will be open in honour of yet another outstanding innings from one of the modern greats.

Sangakkara goes for a wonderful 157 - and a partnership of 99 with Clarke who is still there on 47*

Lead stands at 147 - anything more from here on in is a bonus

I was going to express surprise at quite how many overs the occasional bowler, Abell, was sending down. Sanga not a bad scalp, tho, to have as your second first class wicket.

Surrey doing the right thing at the moment in trying to extend the lead further with steady batting and not simply throwing their wickets away. Lead now 156. An excellent 50 for Rikki Clarke - exactly what was needed in the circumstances of the match.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:I was going to express surprise at quite how many overs the occasional bowler, Abell, was sending down.  Sanga not a bad scalp, tho, to have as your second first class wicket.  

Surrey doing the right thing at the moment in trying to extend the lead further with steady batting and not simply throwing their wickets away.  Lead now 156.  An excellent 50 for Rikki Clarke - exactly what was needed in the circumstances of the match.

Clarke and Batty are duly out in quick succession following Corporal's post

Last four Surrey wickets collapse in a heap!

Underlines really quite how vital contribution was from Rikki Clarke, and to a lesser degree Sam Curran. When Foakes was out we could easily have lost all the remaining wickets for about 40. Interesting to see whether Somerset aim to bat solidly for a draw.

Trescothick goes on the stroke of lunch for a second time in the match. Surrey favourites for a second win of the season.

Byrom dropped at first slip by Sangakkara - interestingly Sangakkara was diving to his right (towards the keeper), whenever first slip does that I'm always inclined to think that should be the keepers catch....will be interested to hear if Guildford has any thoughts on that later

100-4, Somerset trail by 66 still with Abell and Davies at the crease. Good session for Surrey this

stumps

jimbobgooner wrote:stumps

Really annoying that - greatly increases the chance of the draw now. We need to have a good morning, to win the game. Such a shame to lose that whole session