Surrey V Sussex Match Thread

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Well the season is finally here and I'm so excited that I have started this thread a day early...plus I'm working all day tomorrow

I have just checked the weather forecast and it looks promising, apparently a few showers tonight but clearing up by tomorrow morning to leave
a mainly dry day. Friday to Sunday are shown as dry though the players may want to get there winter knitwear out as it looks a bit Chilly.

Looking at the weather, although its mainly dry it could well be very overcast for a few days hopefully helping Lewis and Linely's swing attack

With No Wilson named in the squad and Davies still with England promising youngster Burns looks certain for a start.

Looking at the squad I expect one of Meaker/Dernbach to miss out in the bowling department and one of Ramprakash/Roy in the batting

The squad has been announced and is below

Rory Hamilton-Brown (capt)
Jacques Rudolph
Chris Jordan
Mark Ramprakash
Zander de Bruyn
Tom Maynard
Jason Roy
Rory Burns (wkt)
Gareth Batty
Jon Lewis
Stuart Meaker
Jade Dernbach
Tim Linley

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Looking at the above squad I would not be surprised if Jordan did open the batting for us

[jbd349]

I'd assume Meaker and Roy as the ones to miss out.

[guildfordbat]

MuchHappier - thanks for starting the thread.

As I said before on another thread, I too think Roy and Meaker will miss out. However, none of the seamers can regard a starting place as guaranteed.

Pleased thar Burns is playing and making his CC debut. He deserves to do so having taken his pre season opportunities well. Davies will certainly take over behind the stumps upon his return. However, Burns could then still challenge for a batting place with a couple of good knocks now.

I'm going tomorrow. Under no illusions but really looking forward to it.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

I think Roy will miss out - not sure as between Meaker/Dernbach.

I have had a growing feeling (since Ramps had his major injury last season) that he missed the right opportunity to retire. I'd be very pleased to be proved wrong but I am fearing weeks of frustration during the run of early cc matches leading to his getting dropped from four day side and possibly culminating in retirement before the end of the season.....

It would be great if Burns made an impact.

[guildfordbat]

Corporal - it may not detract from your comments about Ramps but I understand he came to perceive and dread unreliable movement of the Tiflex ball last year. With Dukes only now, he'll almost certainly approach the season with greater confidence which might have an effect.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Let's hope so! Been a long day at the barracks....Tends to bring on gloomy predictions...

[Carrotdude]

I think Roy and Meaker will miss out. It isn't what I would do necessarily but I think that's what will happen. Not sure Meaker is 100% with his neck so it makes sense. I'd rather Roy opened than didn't play at all but I believe Jordan will play and open, at least it gives us another bowler.

[Dulwich_Dog]

Morning gents , it's looking like a three jumper day today

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Morning Dulwich

Certainly is a bit on the chilly side, weather shows a shower at about 1000am/1100am so we may not start on time but the afternoon is meant to be dry and the next three days dry as well.

Could be an important toss to win as Lewis and Linley under cloud cover could be unplayable

[guildfordbat]

I'm setting off soon - as well as a shower, bad light might well be an issue. Oh well, let's hope for a good day. I'll post again this evening.

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Enjoy the game Guildford

Im hoping that we bowl first and you get to see lots wickets, got a good feeling about the Viscount

[Carrotdude]

The Viscount and Roy miss out....

[Carrotdude]

Surrey lose toss and bat. Jordan will be out for single figures I'm certain of it.

[Carrotdude]

Rudolph gone for a duck.

[Carrotdude]

11/2 - Jordan gone for 7.

[thegooch7]

Morning all

Thought Riendeer would've enjoyed these cold conditions............apparently not as he's back in the hutch for a duck, can reindeer's fit in a hutch?! Anyway, I digress! Suprised to see our number one bowler from last season left out! Dear me, River's gone now, Carrot you were right, a mighty 7 by our new opener

[thegooch7]

A couple of threes run by Gramps and the Brain............steady on old timers! 26 off the last 3 overs..........20/20 comes early to the Oval! 50-2, that's looking better, ooooh make it 54-2 as Brain creams another boundary!

[Carrotdude]

Ramps gone for a fighting 24. LBW.

[Carrotdude]

What can our captain fantastic come up with? 79/3.

[thegooch7]

Poor Gramps had a Hatchett job done on him there! Need Hyphen to hang around with Brain now.............if Rory knows how to hang around

[thegooch7]

95-3 at lunch. Could've been worse I suppose. At least Guildford has seen a bit of a Surrey recovery from 11-2.

[jimbohammers]

Good luck to surrey for the season

We dont start til next week

[Carrotdude]

Hundred up with an edge through the slips from Brain, 102/3.

[Carrotdude]

50 for the Brain

[Carrotdude]

And out straight after for 52. 119/4.

[Carrotdude]

Hyphen dropped and then out for 18.

[thegooch7]

Another Rory at the crease now!

[Carrotdude]

50 partnership for Monty and Wine Gums, of which Burns has 7!

[thegooch7]

'Third Degree' Has just 'smashed' 7 off an over to double his score!

[thegooch7]

Great knock by Wine Gums - 52 including 10 x 4s

[Carrotdude]

Monty's out now, gone for 23 after an excellent 82 partnership with Mr. Maynard.

[Carrotdude]

Need Batty and Meaker to hang around with Wine Gums for as long as possible now, need to try and scrape 300 if possible.

[thegooch7]

Desperately need these last 3 to just stay in while Wine Gums is batting so well

[Carrotdude]

Nope, they're both out. 229/8.

[thegooch7]

So Meaker gets out for 0...........well done!

[thegooch7]

Lewis for 1

[chichestersurryfan]

last pair put on 20+ to get that bonus point... as we know from last season that point could be crucial

Hard to know at this stage if that's an above, below or par score!

As a pessimist, I'd say we are 50 runs short

[chichestersurryfan]

meant to say.... well done to Guildford Bat for actually braving the weather today! You must be perishingly cold in that N/E wind

keep warm!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Home early from the barracks.... Fitful performance from Surrey - excellent from Maynard and the Brain, and useful start from Burns. The Viscount will be disappointed not to be in the team

Sussex will have much brighter conditions in which to bat....

[chichestersurryfan]

John Lewis has got his first wicket

[Corporalhumblebucket]

[Carrotdude]

47/1. Looking like we were below par today.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Dernbach strikes to bowl Wells. Meanwhile River is in full spate, at least as far as runs are concerned.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Meaker also bags his first wicket, with Nash caught by the hyphen (presumably in the slips). This is much more like it....

[Corporalhumblebucket]

And Dernbach bags his second wicket, bowling Goodwin. I hope Guildfordbat did not sneak home early - if so he will have missed most of the action...

[Corporalhumblebucket]

And River gets Yardy caught by the Reindeer to close the day with Sussex on 105 - 5. Jordan will feel a lot better after that.... Good comeback.

[guildfordbat]

And Dernbach bags his second wicket, bowling Goodwin. I hope Guildfordbat did not sneak home early - if so he will have missed most of the action...

Corporal - you know me too well. A bit before stumps, I thumbed a lift home in the back of a refrigerated van which was a lot warmer! Unfortunately, I only saw the first of Sussex's wickets.

Disappointed that my two favourites were left out of the starting XI. Expected in the case of Roy but surprised, like many at the ground, by the Viscount's omission. The Viscount was even shown as playing on the match scorecard whilst ... wait for it ... Lewis wasn't. Presumably a late change of thinking. Saw the Viscount bowling on the outfield at lunch - no fitness issues there.

First of all, much credit to the umpires, Nick Cook and Richard Illingworth. According to a public address announcement, they had agreed at their discretion that play could start on time under fllodlights (which remained on all day). As we didn't see even a hint of blue sky until after 3 o'clock, I suspect there would have been little play without that decision, apparently unique even though common sense demanded it.

Although conditions were distinctly unwelcoming for batting (cloudy, overcast and bl**dy cold), the ball didn't seem to be swinging much. Some who understand that sort of thing better than me thought it was too cold. Anyway, whatever the conditions and the causes, a dreadful start by Reindeer and River but I'm sure you all know that. Really slow going to begin with as well. After 45 minutes and 10 overs, we were 17-2 with extras on 9 not out as our top scorer!

Ramps and the Brain, in particular, then upped the tempo and got things back on track for a while. Ramps was looking good when he got out. Hyphen was just looking like getting out when he got out. Following Brain's dismissal, Maynard took over and batted really well. He received good and sensible support from Burns who might just challenge for a batting place when Davies returns from warmer climes (I think I've mentioned it was cold!). Unfortunately, the tail didn't wag much. For all his experience, Lewis seemed more like a naive simpleton when he unnecessarily wafted at the ball and quickly gave his wicket away. That then gave us Surrey's all too common 'game within a game' as Maynard and Dernbach tried and somehow succeeded in getting us a second batting pont. As has been said, could be important come September.

Sussex stuck to their task well in the field and Brown, deputising for Prior, particularly impressed. However, I don't see their current team challenging for silverware. That said, I appreciate a few more established players are currently missing for one reason or another.

Lewis did do better with the ball. Our first CC wicket of 2012. I won't begrudge him that but would still have preferred to be offering congratulations to the Viscount. Very good to subsequently read of the further wickets for the other seamers. Unless there's a massive climate change in the next couple of days, I can't see Batty bowling much in this game.

With those late wickets, we're currently ahead but not by much and things could certainly change. I'll be following things closely tomorrow but only via Churchy and an intravenous drip of hot coffee.

[thegooch7]

Had to leave at 4, good to see we got past the 250, and a nice surprise to see we've made healthy inroads into the the Sussex batting, with all the seamers chipping in. I'd say we're on top at the mo!

Great match report Guildford, I knew nowt about the floodlights being on - how sensible! Hope you've thawed out now and here's hoping for a Good Friday tomorrow!!

[chichestersurryfan]

Guildford bat..... I thought you were going to get cold today! - well done for sticking it out for so long! - forecast looks reasonable so am anticipating a result in this match by end of play on Saturday.... as to which way....will it be or