Surrey in control after day two

Surrey have finished day two of the LVCC Division 1 match against Sussex 250-8, a lead of 318, after bowling Sussex out for 196 this morning.

Surrey started the morning wanting to bowl the visitors out before lunch, and gain a substantial first innings lead. Chris Jordan gave them the perfect start, when, in the 3^rd over, he got Brown caught by Ramprakash for 3. Jordan then followed that up in his next over, getting Naved Arif caught behind, without scoring. Meaker was then brought on, and removed Amjad Khan as he looked to work into the leg side, but a leading edge found Maynard at slip. Sussex 122-8, and Surrey looking at a lead of well over 100.

However, Gatting didn’t give up the ghost, and began to attack the Surrey bowlers, hitting 2 sixes off Batty. He found a willing partner in Jimmy Anyon, who frustrated the hosts, until Dernbach got him caught by Jordan, to pick up his 3^rd wicket. Gatting still hadn’t given up, and went past his fifty, and built a partnership which could prove vital, with number 11 Lewis Hatchett. However, with the partnership on 29, Hatchett looked to pick up 2 off Dernbach, but was run out coming back for the second. Sussex 196 all out, a lead of 68 for Surrey.

Jordan once again opened with Rudolph, and they survived the tricky over before lunch, Surrey 2-0. After the break, Rudolph slowly began to find the middle of the bat, hitting 3 boundaries. However, on 21, he looked to cut Anyon, and could only find Gatting at point. Disappointing from Rudolph, but at least he looked in better touch than yesterday. Ramprakash joined Jordan and once again started slowly, but he could afford to, with the amount of time left in the game. However, on 9 he pushed a ball from Anyon to Amjad Khan, and chose to run when it wasn’t on, and was run out.

In the next over, Chris Jordan was stumped off Yardy and Surrey were 53-3. I think it is fair to say that Jordan hasn’t done enough to keep the openers spot, and Davies will come in for him next week. And Surrey were in all sorts of trouble, when de Bruyn drove at Anyon, and was caught by Yardy at slip for 1. RHB and Maynard needing a big partnership, with the lead just 123.

And a big partnership is just what they gave, with the pair sharing an unbeaten stand of 100 in the last 20 overs before tea. Hamilton- Brown was batting in typical fashion, hitting the bad balls for 4, as well as some good ones! He brought up his 50 off just 43 balls, and he and Maynard were taking Surrey out of trouble and in to a good position. RHB was dominating the stand, but Maynard’s innings shouldn’t be underestimated, as he also batted aggressively, and if he had gone, an end could have been opened up. Surrey reached tea on 155-4, a lead of 223.

The pair continued from where they left off after tea, finding the boundary with regular occurrence, with RHB striking his second maximum, this time off Anyon. Maynard was closing in on back to back half centuries, but before he could get there, Hamilton- Brown was caught well by Goodwin off Arif for 89. A fantastic innings from the captain, at an absolutely vital time in the game. The partnership was worth 136 between him and Maynard, taking Surrey to a lead of 259.

Rory Burns joined Maynard, and started confidently, striking 2 early boundaries. However, Maynard was bowled not long after for 47 by Anyon, and 2 balls later, Batty was caught at slip once again off Anyon, without scoring. Surrey 206-7, a lead of 274.

Surrey were then 8 down, when Burns was caught by Wells off Arif for 16. Surrey needing their tail to wag, with the lead of 278 possibly not being enough. Lewis and Meaker got together, and slowly began to build a partnership which could be as vital as RHB and Maynard’s. They managed to get the lead over 300, which could be important psychologically when Sussex’s second innings comes round.

Bad light led to an early close, with Surrey on 250-8, Lewis 13* and Meaker 16*.

 A lead of 318 for Surrey to take into tomorrow, which could be enough for our first win in Division One since September 2007. However, its not over yet, as Sussex won’t give up easily, and there is also the possibility of rain on both Saturday and Sunday.

Surrey edge first day against Sussex

Surrey will be slightly the happier of the 2 sides after day one of the LVCC Division 1 match against Sussex, after restricting the visitors to 105-5 after being bowled out for 264.

Michael Yardy won the toss and stuck Surrey in, on a cold, overcast morning. Tim Linley and Jason Roy were the 2 to miss out for Surrey, so Jordan would open with Rudolph. However, Surrey didn’t get off to the best start, as Rudolph batted nervously, until when the score was on 9, he drove at a ball from Arif, and Joyce took a smart catch at slip at the second attempt. Rudolph gone without scoring. The runs then completely dried up for Surrey, who lost Jordan 5 overs later for 7, and the hosts were struggling at 11-2.

Zander de Bruyn joined Mark Ramprakash and immediately started to up the run rate. Ramps started incredibly slowly, but he also started to find the middle of the bat, with a couple of irresistible shots down the ground. The experienced pair were getting Surrey into a good position before lunch, but with the score on 79, and partnership 68, Lewis Hatchett got one to swing back at Ramps, and trapped him LBW for 24. It was a shame, as he fought hard and began to look good as the innings went on. RHB joined Zander, and took Surrey to lunch at 96-3.

Shortly after tea, de Bruyn brought up his first fifty of the season, with a couple of runs of Arif. However, he didn’t last much longer, as in the same over, Arif got one to nip away and take de Bruyn’s outside edge, with Ben Brown doing the rest. RHB wasn’t getting much of the strike, and when he did, he was looking untypically sketchy at the crease. And Surrey were 5 down, when the skipper looked at work an Arif ball down to fine leg, but could only nick it through to Brown, who took a great catch low down to his left. Surrey 124-5, and a job for Maynard and Burns.

Just like against Leeds- Bradford MCCU, both looked in fine form, and once again began to build a vital partnership for the 6^th wicket. Maynard found the boundary with regular occurrence, ticking over at nearly a run a ball. Soon after the partnership went past 50, so did Maynard, hitting 10 fours and giving Surrey’s innings vital impetus. Burns was playing well, and played a couple of nice shots through the off side off front and back foot, until when on 24, and the partnership 82, Burns nibbled at a ball from Anyon and was caught behind.

Gareth Batty came to the crease, and after a couple of superbly time shots for 4, he dragged on to Amjad Khan and went for 10. Maynard was losing partners at a rapid rate, as Meaker went without scoring, once again off Khan.  Jon Lewis came in, played and missed at a few, until his edge was found, and Khan had his 4^th, Lewis gone for 1. Dernbach was the last man in, and Maynard was looking to get some extra vital runs, but was finding it difficult, as apart from Yardy at slip, every fielder was on the boundary, giving him the single. He didn’t want the single, and this went on for several overs, until Dernbach went caught off Khan, to give the former England man a fifer, and Maynard was left 86 not out. It was a great innings from Maynard, in conditions that really helped the bowlers, but he just ran out of ideas, and lost all his shape at the end, looking for the big shot. Surrey 264 all out.

Sussex had 27 overs to bat, and Jon Lewis got his side off to a brilliant start, when he trapped Ed Joyce LBW first ball with the score on 3. Meaker opened up with Lewis, and regularly had the batsman in trouble, with several stifled appeals for LBW. However, Nash and Wells began to look more comfortable at the crease, and took their side to 63-1, 12 overs from the end of day one. However, Jade Dernbach had other ideas. The England paceman hadn’t troubled the batsman, until, when on 32, he bowled Wells. Meaker was immediately brought back into the attack, and removed the other in batsman, Nash, caught by RHB. And it was 3 wickets in 3 overs, when Dernbach got the massive wicket of Goodwin, when he knocked back his off pole.

The Sussex skipper, Yardy, got together with Gatting and looked to take their side though to the close just 4 down. It was looking that way, until, in what turned out to be the last ball of the day, Chris Jordan got Yardy to nibble at one outside off stump, and Rudolph took his first catch for Surrey at slip. A great finish to the day for Surrey, with Sussex finishing on 105-5.

With that last wicket off Yardy, I think Surrey would be the slightly happier of the 2 sides after day one, but they know the first session tomorrow will be vital, with Surrey looking to bowl them out for less than 200 if they can.

13 named for Sussex opener

Chris Adams has named a 13 man squad for the first LVCC Division 1 match of the season, when Surrey take on Sussex at the Kia Oval starting tomorrow.

There isn’t many surprises in the squad, with the main issue being whether to go with the in form Rory Burns, or the more experienced Gary Wilson in the wicket keepers position. Well, Adams has gone with Burns, and I have to agree with him. He has been in good touch all pre season, and obviously scored his first hundred at the weekend. If not picked, then Burns will have been wondering what he had to do to get selection, especially when opportunities will be limited with

Steven Davies coming back next week.

3 vastly experienced batsman have come into the squad, in the shape of Rudolph, Zander and Ramps, to strengthen the batting. Adding to them will be the flair of RHB and Maynard, and if on form, no one can argue that it would be one of the strongest looking batting line up on the county circuit.

A big selection dilemma for Adams is the openers situation. Rudolph arrived yesterday, and will play, so one of either Jordan or Roy is likely to be picked. Adams seems to like Jordan opening the batting, as he has done so most of pre season, but don’t discount Roy, who is a match winner and can change a game at the drop of a hat. Roy, though, hasn’t opened at all in pre season, so maybe Adams is looking for more stability at the top, rather than Roy’s typical run-a-ball 40 then get out. My head says Chris Jordan should get the nod, but my heart says Roy, because if he comes off, it will be a great start to an innings.

Whoever Adams picks to open, will also have an effect on the bowling line up. Including Jordan, 5 seamers have been named, with Lewis, Dernbach, Meaker and the Viscount making up a very strong looking attack. I presume Batty will play, and bat at 8, so that leaves 9, 10 and 11 for 3 of Meaker, Lewis, Linley and Dernbach. If Jordan opens, he may go with Lewis, Linley and Dernbach and leave out Meaker, as he and Jordan are a similar type of bowler. However, if Jordan doesn’t play, the extra pace of Meaker may be needed, so even though he was so good last season, the Viscount could be the one to miss out.

So, some very important decisions for the coach to make, but its better to have competition for places, than struggling to put out a competitive team.

Here is the squad in full:

The match starts at 11, and I’m glad to say that the weather looks ok at the moment, and I’m looking forward to seeing a competitive first day, with Surrey coming out on top. Come on the Rey!!

Linley fifer edges Surrey over the line

Surrey have beaten Leeds- Bradford MCCU by 2 runs, after declaring overnight, and setting the visitors 315 to win, with Tim Linley claiming 5 wickets.

After his 91 in the first innings, Chris Adams obviously thought Tom Maynard had had enough time in the middle, when he declared this morning on 134-5, leaving Leeds-Bradford with a stiff target of 315 for victory. Tim Linley and Chris Jordan once again opened the bowling for Surrey, and were faced with a resolute opening partnership between Slater and Webb. However, Tom Jewell was brought into the attack and made an immediate impact, getting Slater caught behind with the score on 33. Jewell looking impressive again. Jordan then removed the other opener, Webb, caught by Linley. However, Leeds-Bradford MCCU managed to get themselves to lunch pretty comfortably just 2 down, with Bush and Leach playing well for the visitors. 115-2, with just 200 more to win.

Freddie van den Bergh made the breakthrough soon after the break, though, as he trapped the impressive Bush LBW for his first wicket of the match. Tim Linley, brought back into the attack, then removed Leach with the score on 146, Maynard taking the catch, and Surrey scenting victory. Reece looked good until, on 28, Linley had his second, when Burns took a catch, and Leeds-Bradford were 5 down for 184. The oppositions skipper Richard Moore joined Hodgson at the crease, and took their side to the tea interval on 201-5, requiring a further 114 for victory.

Surrey would have been hopeful of removing one of the batsman, and exposing the tail, early after the break. However, that didn’t happen. Moore and Hodgson both looked comfortable in the middle, finding the boundary with relative ease against some wayward bowling from the Surrey attack. Both exceeded in confidence, each striking maximums to take their side closer to victory. Surrey were struggling to find the breakthrough, until Tom Jewell came up with the goods, when he removed Moore for 37, taking the catch off his own bowling. Linley then had his second in the very next over, when he trapped Roebuck in front first ball. 269-7, and a tight finish on the cards.

The viscount then followed that up with another wicket in his next over, when Hardman was caught by Jewell for 5. 36 more to win, with 2 wickets left, and with Hodgson still in, both sides in sight of the victory line.

Chris Jordan then replaced Tom Jewell, and had instant success, when the dangerous Hodgson looked to pull the Barbadian, but could only find the viscount on the midwicket boundary. However, Higginbotham and Thomas got together and frustrated the Surrey attack, taking their side to within 3 of victory, with a last wicket stand of 27, before the viscount Linley claimed his 4^th First Class fifer, as he trapped Thomas in front.

Hats off to Leeds-Bradford, Adams and RHB dangled a carrot at them this morning and they really had a go at it. Even though Surrey came out on top, it was agonisingly close for the visitors. To be honest, it was too close for comfort for Surrey, who are obviously the far superior team, but the young men from Yorkshire showed that if you are slightly off your game, you can be punished.

The Viscount has found form just at the right time, and surely has cemented his place in the side come Thursday. However, we are still none the wiser with the opening batsman slot, with Jason Roy appearing the favourite, but Adams seems to like Jordan batting there, and he would obviously give an extra bowling option. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Not long to wait though, as the first squad of the season is due to be announced on Wednesday. I can’t wait!

Bowlers day as Batsman falter again

It was a bowlers day on the second day of the Uni match against Leeds-Bradford MCCU, with Surrey bowling out the visitors for 205, before falling to 134-5 at the close.

The first hour of the day belonged to Leeds-Bradford, as Bush and Webb looked assured at the crease, in better conditions for batting than day one. Chris Jordan and Tim Linley worked hard, but with no luck, as the batsman slowly and steadily began to build a good partnership for the 2^nd wicket, which had gone past 50 after the first 60 minutes. However, Matthew Dunn was brought into the attack, and after a few poor deliveries, he made the breakthrough, when Webb flashed at a wide one and Jordan took a good catch at slip.

Tom Jewell then replaced Matthew Spriegel, and he had his first wicket when he trapped new batsman Leach, without scoring, and Leeds- Bradford were 87-3. Dunn was still bowling erratically, so Linley came back on to replace him. However, it was Jewell again who picked up the next wicket, 10 minutes before lunch, when Reece was caught superbly by Maynard in the slips. Leeds-Bradford went to the break, 4 down for 119, still trailing by 266.

Soon after lunch, Chris Jordan got in on the act, when he had Hodgson caught behind with the score on 150. He was then on a hat trick, when he trapped the oppositions skipper Moore in front first ball. Jordan couldn’t complete his hat trick, but in his next over, he bowled Roebuck for 0 to leave the visitors 156-7. Harry Bush was continuing to look good for Leeds, passing his fifty. Hardman joined him and looked good, striking 3 boundaries before Jewell removed him for 16. A 3^rd wicket for the young paceman. And Bush’s excellent innings came to an end in the next over, when Dunn picked up his second, trapping him in front for 70. Dunn then finished the innings, bowling Higginbotham. Leeds-Bradford 205 all out and a lead of 180 for Surrey. 3 wickets for Dunn, Jewell and Jordan, and 1 for Linley.

RHB opened up with Jordan, looking to get some vital time in the middle before Thursdays opener. However, he was trapped in front without scoring. Not very good from the captain, who has been in poor form ever since his 70 against Somerset in the CB40 final. Gary Wilson joined Jordan and took Surrey to tea at 15-1, a lead of 195.

However, not long after the interval, Wilson went for 18, when he was caught behind off Hardman. A second failure in the game for Wilson, with Burns seemingly ahead of him in wicket keeping pecking order. Roy joined Jordan and got off the mark in typical fashion, with a boundary off Hardman.  However, Hardman had his second soon after, when Jordan was also caught behind for 18. Surrey 58-3, and with some work to do. Jason Roy began to find some form, finding the boundary at regular intervals in typical fashion, before falling for 32 to Higginbotham. Some runs for Roy, but maybe not enough to secure a starting place next week.

Maynard and Spriegel got together with a job on their hands at 85-4, and slowly but surely, began to rebuild the innings. However, just before the close, Higginbotham got his second wicket of the innings, when Spriegel was caught behind for 25. Once again, not doing enough to secure a place on Thursday. Surrey finished the day 134-5, with Maynard on 19* and Burns 0*, a lead of 314.

Once again, the batsman failing for Surrey, and against a far inferior opposition. Therefore, apart from RHB and Maynard, no one’s place is secure in the side.