SURREY VS NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Surrey have named a thirteen man squad for this weekend’s Specsavers County Championship game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Opener Mark Stoneman is missing for family reasons whilst off spinner Amar Virdi has been selected in a Championship squad for the first time this season.
Wicket keeper Ben Foakes and all-rounder Sam Curran are both missing from the squad due to England Lions commitments in the match against Australia A in Canterbury.
Gus Atkinson (back stress fracture) is a long term absentee while fellow seamers Conor McKerr (heel & hip) and Jade Dernbach (side) are working back to fitness. Ollie Pope, who is back in the nets, is continuing his journey back to full fitness after dislocating his shoulder back in April.
Batsman Arun Harinath joined Hampshire on loan last week, whilst Tom Curran, Liam Plunkett & Jason Roy are all still with England for the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Full Squad
Rory Burns (captain)
Gareth Batty
Scott Borthwick
Jordan Clark
Rikki Clarke
Matthew Dunn
Dean Elgar
Will Jacks
Morne Morkel
Ryan Patel
Jamie Smith (wk)
Freddie van den Bergh
Amar Virdi
This is the hardest selection of the year without a doubt
I would leave Borthwick out of this game but I don't think the management will just yet
Is Freddie in the squad as just a batsman don't think we need 3 spinners ?
I would love to see Dunn back in but our tail would be even longer.
so Dunn and Batty to miss out possibly
Over to you chaps

Hi JimBob - what a mess we're in! I think Meaker is the only available professional not in this squad and even he isn't 100% fit - his recovering from an elbow injury meant he was only allowed to bowl 8 overs for the stiffs this week.

I'm pretty sure Borthwick will play. We are just so short of batsmen - particularly with Stoneman suddenly unavailable and Harinath now gone (I don't reckon he'll be back).

Assuming Batty is fully recovered and it's not a complete bunsen at Trent Bridge (they do have Ashwin!), Virdi and Burger Van are the ones I'm guessing to miss out. From last time, that means Patel for Sam Curran, Jacks for Foakes (with Smith now keeping) and Dunn for Stoneman. I would be happy to have Dunn back but the balance seems very wrong.

Looking at the weather and the Notts squad containing a few spinners, I'm starting to think we may play a second slow man.

That would probably mean more bad news for Dunn, especially if Virdi - like Dunn, a rabbit with the bat- comes in. If Burger Van, the best batsman of our spinners, were to play - unlikely as his days seem very numbered - then Clark could be at risk along with Dunn.

Just to add, Broad is back for Notts although Duckett is injured and Nash sits this one out following recent concussion. Patterson-White, a slow left-armer, took a fivefer on his CC debut at Somerset last week despite missing much of the first two days going down with tonsillitis half an hour after the start! He is expected to play along with Ashwin.

Dunn and burger van miss out

Surrey win toss and bat

Batting first with Batty and Virdi both playing the right choice, does mean we will need to weather an overcloud day today tho...Patel currently in Boycott mode

Used pitch also - so definitely going to spin...imagine it’ll be a low scoring game too

Ashwin gets Patel early...

104/2 at the break. That's very good going against Ashwin on a used pitch.

Clever to split up Patel, Jacks and Smith in the order; looked originally as if they would bat at 4, 5 and 6 which would have been tough for three youngsters respectively aged 21, 20 and 19 and especially against the canny Ashwin.

Handy as well for us to have got after Patterson-White, Notts' young slow left-armer; 0/24 off 4, he won't be enjoying his lunch.

just seen the burns decision that was truly appalling
David Millns shame on you

this game will be over quickly
must have borrowed the groundsman from tauton

Borthwick out 2 balls before tea

jimbobgooner wrote:Borthwick out 2 balls before tea

Solanki must have taught him how to do that!

201/6.

I would settle for 250. A long way to go but with Notts batting last, that should help to put us in a decent position ....

guildfordbat wrote:

jimbobgooner wrote:Borthwick out 2 balls before tea

Solanki must have taught him how to do that!

clark throws his wkt away

looks like we should have played burger van as well

Clarke gone 14 away from the magical 250

Morkel that is rather embarrassing

240 all out

jimbobgooner wrote:240 all out

And Notts 20/1 in reply at stumps. Pretty even I would think.

Yeah don’t see this one lasting into the final session on day 4...and Notts chasing anything above 150 last dig will be tough

Meanwhile, in today's big game Notts slump to 41/5. 3 for Virdi.

Day 2 on this used track could be moving day ....

40 to avoid the follow on

Well bowled Mr Virdi

8 wkts for virdi

Virdi

124 run lead

patel out 1st ball

hopefully there will be points deducted for notts for this awful wkt

Borthwick has done a Solanki again

50 for smith

awful from jacks

We used 3 bowlers in their inns, they've so far only used 3 (all spin) in our 2nd inns, wonder if we'll only use 2 in the 4th inns! It's a bit different to the green tops Notts used to manufacture in the 80s for Hadlee and Rice!

lead goes past 250

I know this is Surrey, but 266 lead with 3 wickets remaining, surely that's enough jimbob?!

308 lead at stumps excellent day

thegooch7 wrote:I know this is Surrey, but  266 lead with 3 wickets remaining, surely that's enough jimbob?!

never enough

Fantastic to see two youngsters in Virdi and Smith playing absolute pearlers with ball and bat respectively today. Especially pleased for Virdi, who has clearly had a rough season to date.

Jordan Clark playing a decent hand here too - this partnership with Batty has really put the game to bed as a contest in my eyes, will take a miracle for Notts to chase this down on this pitch.

Useful runs added by Clark this morning, going past his 50 before perishing to Ashwin a half hour into play. Excellent innings

Don't fancy Morne and Amar to last long!

Surrey declare, after a few lusty blows by Morkel...well lucky top edges off some short pitched stuff. Not a bad thing imo, plenty enough runs and last thing we want is Morkel/Virdi getting wrapped on their bowling hand

349 to win for Notts. Tough on a flat wicket, let alone this.

As Guildford always says, not often the biggest innings of the match comes in the 4th dig!

Tenfer Virds! Let's hope we can polish this off today

Best start getting the bar prepped Corporal....

Umpires want to get into the bar, anything that's hitting the leg is being given

We deserve a bit of luck Olly! 74-7

5 wkts for virdi again

1 wkt away from the bar being opened

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS EXCELLENT WIN
WE ARE STAYING UP SAY WE ARE STAYING UP

All done! 167 run win.....well played lads!

Corporal open the bar

Fantastic match return for Amar Virdi. Regardless of the state of the wicket, he still had to deliver a performance ... and he sure did.

As Olly mentioned earlier, to Jamie Smith also. Scoring a half-century on that track against Ravi Ashwin is not to be sneezed at.

I don't know how different things would have been if Notts had won the toss and batted first but I have no sympathy for them whatsoever and nor should anyone else have. Now, where is the Corporal these days and, more importantly, where is my free drink?