Surrey V Sussex Match Thread

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

First topic message reminder :

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

[Corporalhumblebucket]

And Meaker dismissed Goodwin for a duck....

[thegooch7]

Well, it's going swimmingly for our 1st Murray 'Goodwin' of the season...........especially now he's out!

[guildfordbat]

Goochie - thank you for spelling out the 'Murray' reference to a bufoon like me!

Looking very good ....

[thegooch7]

he he - you're welcome Guildford! I was just glad the Corporal got my 'Third Degree' reference

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Goochie - good one. But I too was struggling with Murray!

Interesting article on Cricinfo about W G Grace's chilly farewell at the Oval in April 1908. There's a newspaper picture showing the wooden benches. They look exactly like the wooden planks I remember from my youth at the Oval...

[guildfordbat]

Corporal - I noticed that Churchy referred to how cold it was at the Oval when introducing the first day highlights.

Btw, I miss Churchy's supportive tv commentary on the official website. The new commentary voice sounds as if he was calling bingo numbers last week!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Dernbach strikes to remove Yardy LBW. Curious that Batty and the Brain have both bowled but River hasn't so far....

Meanwhile Zaffer Ansari digging in for Cambs against Lancs. Briefly there were two Ansaris batting - but that didn't last long...

[guildfordbat]

Corporal - River now bowling with Dernbach.

The Brain opened the bowling once or twice last year. Adams and Hyphen appear to like the occasional seam option he provides. Didn't come off today but probably worth a try, particularly given the conditions. I'm sure him being handed the new ball would have surprised the Sussex openers. Doubt he'll bowl again this match.

Probably churlish to say that Batty has to do something other than comment on the lunches and teas!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Probably churlish to say that Batty has to do something other than comment on the lunches and teas!

And to prove Guildford's point he dismisses Gatting to end a threatening partnership. Now 134 -5

[guildfordbat]

Wicket for Batty - he'll enjoy his tea even more now!

5 more to get ....

[Guest]

have to admit at the start of the game, i expected a comphrensive victory for susex, but fair play, surrey are playing well!

[thegooch7]

cricketfan..................so did we!

[guildfordbat]

cricketfan..................so did we!

Particularly around 11.30 on the first morning when we were 11-2!

[Carrotdude]

1 more and I'll feel confident, Wells and Brown are both very good, still 189 needed though.

[guildfordbat]

Carrot - I reckon the first innings lead will be the difference.

[Carrotdude]

Seems that way. Have to be confident from here even if it is Surrey! Bowlers have shown over the last year that we can take 20 wickets.

[Carrotdude]

Well done Meaker!

[thegooch7]

GERRIN! Game over Carrot?! Let's hope so!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Well done Meaker!

[Carrotdude]

Surely we'll win from here?

[Carrotdude]

Career average under 30 now for Meaker too

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Dernbach dismisses Arif - caught by a sub....

[Carrotdude]

Dernbach gets Arif! It'd be nice to see Jade find good form in the CC this year, he was a bit off last time.

[Carrotdude]

Dernbach dismisses Arif - caught by a sub....

The safe hands of Le Roi

[guildfordbat]

Dernbach dismisses Arif - caught by a sub....

The safe hands of Le Roi

[Corporalhumblebucket]

I've not been listening to the commentary but I'm wondering whether the lights have been on again at the Oval - certainly been dreary sort of weather condition all this afternoon south of London....

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Ok lets see where we are??? All looking ok at the moment but would love to get Wells out soon.
Looks like I missed Lewis and Meaker put on a few runs this morning, great to see meaker get off to a good start with the ball if he keeps progressing well we could have one hell of a bowler on our hands in a few years.

[Carrotdude]

We need a breakthrough, can't imagine Batty's the answer. Where's Lewis? New ball soon though I suppose.

[thegooch7]

Norah strikes!!!!

[Carrotdude]

40 run partnership for the 8th wicket. This kind of thing really annoys me, bowling loads of short stuff apparently.

Never mind - Nora Batty's got another!

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Carrot

Our ability to let lower orders get runs after cleaning out top orders never ceases to amaze me. Luckily we have Norah's mystery ball to save us. SHould be ok now but its a sign of Surrey that I'm never fully confident until that last wicket falls.
Think the new ball is due in 2 overs time throw it to Lewis and Meaker.

[Carrotdude]

So we haven't taken the new ball? Yeah it's something that irritates me too but Meaker showed signs of being able to blow away a tail last season, not in evidence today though. People saying if we'd pitched it up more we'd have won by now which is frustrating.

[Carrotdude]

21 runs for the 9th wicket already, really does annoy me.

[Carrotdude]

Surely Lewis should be able to get a number 10 out with a new ball?


The Viscount would.....

[Carrotdude]

Off for bad light - back again tomorrow.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Hopefully a good rest and a re group and we can finish off the job. But it is frustrating how often this happens....

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Lewis dismisses Anyon - one wicket to go....

[Corporalhumblebucket]

And Lewis gets Wells as well..... Good start to the season. Much better than I feared!

[guildfordbat]

And Lewis gets Wells as well..... Good start to the season. Much better than I feared!

Totally agree!

Due to the incompetence of Richard Branson's underlings, only just able to rejoin matters since the seventh wicket went down yesterday.

A very good team effort. I'm sure Adams will milk that. Sound work by the five main bowlers with each of them taking at least two match wickets but no one more than five.

As for the batting, very good in parts but still lacking consistency as we suspected. Hopefully, the Reindeer will soon settle and Davies' return (probably replacing River at the top end) will bring extra strength. At best, the jury remains out on Ramps.

In terms of the result, Adams certainly got it right.

Whether it was morally right to leave out the man who did more than anyone else to get us to Division One is another question and one that probably belongs to another board.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Guildford - agree the selections worked pretty well. Including Jordan as a bowler, Batty putting in a long tight spell in second innings, and decision to play both Meaker and Dernbach. Also worth noting that Lewis took part in a useful partnership late in the second innings.

Hopefully we can cut out the pointless run outs and stumpings from the top batsmen in situations when there is absolutely no time pressure. Jordan was playing pretty well before he got himself stumped. Had already faced 49 balls for his 20.

[thegooch7]

All in all, a great start, considering we lost the toss on a seamer friendly Baltic first morning! It's 21 points to 'consolidating' our position in Div One (Even after this win I think mid table is our aim!) Contributions from everyone and it was a great team effort
Can't really criticise Grizzly's selection after a win, but I must admit, when I chose my 11 for this game, the first name was Viscount!

[SimonofSurrey]

Bottom line, we will have at least one more CC1 win this season than in the year we were relegated. I sense Sussex may struggle unless their top batsmen hit form regularly an their modest looking attack hit their straps on less bowler friendly tracks but let's wait and see how good a win this really looks.

But a win is a win and as good a start as - if not better than - we could have hoped for. And with Davies and Linley (...surely?) to come back in, and one of the younger batsmen likely to replace (G)Ramps at some point, things are looking up.

[Gregers]

As a Sussex fan, well done to Surrey you completely outplayed us. I can see it being a long long season in the CC down at Hove

[Corporalhumblebucket]

As a Sussex fan, well done to Surrey you completely outplayed us. I can see it being a long long season in the CC down at Hove

Gregors - thanks. And that's even before the return of the great KP!

[Gregers]

How many games do you think KP will play this season? I'm hoping to be able to 'see' him at Hove at somepoint this season

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Minimal, Gregors. I haven't checked the fixtures, but I assume that if fit he would be a fixture in all forms of the game for England this season. Can't see that selectors will be encouraging him to play for Surrey other than perhaps a very odd game....

[Gregers]

Fingers crossed for t20 at hove then!

[Carrotdude]

What a lovely way to start the season, 5 Championship wins in a row isn't it now? I feel very sorry for the Viscount but perhaps Lewis' late wickets and 20 odd runs justified his selection. Jordan is surely only playing due to his batting and he did at least see off the new ball in the second innings. It was nice not to have rely on the Brain or Reindeer for runs in this one, they will surely come good sooner rather than later and great for Hyphen to start well - only the 5th time he's faced 100 balls in an innings for us I believe!

I think Wine Gums may be on the verge of a great season, I really like the look of him. I've said it before but I really want Roy to play and if Maynard can become more consistent and responsible (as shown here) then it may be easier to have both Roy and Hyphen in the same team. Long term obviously Roy will step into Ramps shoes but I still think we could play him instead of Batty early season.

Now - assuming Davies comes back in will he open or play lower down? I hope he opens as number 7 is too low for any of our guys. Can't see any other changes for Middlesex.

[MuchHappierSurreyFan]

Great start and a good win, seems years since we won a div 1 game... rpob cause it has been.
Like alot of us Surrey fans I'm still looking at just staying up this season.
Still concerned about the batting a little bit though Davies coming back will help a bit, the bowling should be ok obviously there will be bad games but there should be games were they keep the opposition down to achievable targets.

[chichestersurryfan]

couldnt' wish for a better start to the season

keeping feet firmly on the ground & I really think that a solid mid table finish would mean real progress..... I'm sure the Viscount will get a game soon!!