SURREY VS MIDDLESEX BOB WILLIS TROPHY

Its cricket jim but not as we know it
SURREY HAVE NAMED THE 11 PLAYERS WHO WILL PLAY IN THE CLUB’S FIRST BOB WILLIS TROPHY MATCH AGAINST MIDDLESEX THIS WEEKEND.
They will again be captained by Rikki Clarke, who will be looking to cap off a special week personally after it was announced that he will be granted a testimonial year in 2021 on Thursday.
Winter signings James Taylor & Dan Moriarty are both in line to make their first-class debuts for Surrey.
Hashim Amla & Morne Morkel are at home in South Africa & Australia respectively, awaiting clearances on their return to work in the UK. Director of Cricket Alec Stewart described their current situation earlier this week.
7 players are away with England including Foakes who is on laundry duty.
Gus Atkinson & Jade Dernbach are both on their back-to-bowling programmes. Fellow seamers Nicholas Kimber & Conor McKerr are both unavailable with knee injuries while a hamstring strain keeps Liam Plunkett out of this one.
There is no place in the squad for legend Gareth Batty.
FULL ELEVEN
Mark Stoneman
Ryan Patel
Scott Borthwick
Will jacks
Jamie Smith
Rikki Clarke
Jordan Clark
Daniel Moriarty
James Taylor
Amar Virdi
Matt Dunn
Looks a very long tail to me, but i don't know who else could have started who hasn't been mentioned ?
Over to you chaps on who should be drinks carrier

Nico Reifer is the other player not mentioned in the preview
i know he was in the country anyone know if he is injured?

Thanks as always for starting the thread, JimBob.

Besides Batty (guessing he's just going to play in the Blast), the only guy on the staff I can think of who hasn't been mentioned by you* or the Club is Nico Reifer. He bowls a little but is predominantly a batsman. Aged 19 and originally from Barbados. He went back there to join his family for some of Lockdown but is definitely back at the Oval now. He was on twelfth man duties some of the time on Monday for the Middlesex friendly.

I feel Reifer's inclusion for one of the young bowlers (Moriarty or Taylor) would have given us a better balance. As it is, we have the Clark(e)s at 6 and 7. Ideally, you would probably only have Rikki with an ''e'' in the side and batting at 8.

I reckon several of the Surrey team are really going to have to step up to the plate if we are to win. Middlesex have named a pretty strong 14 man squad. No Finn but still 5 seamers in Cummins (toured here with the Windies in '17), Murtagh, Roland-Jones, Helm and Harris. Two spinners (Sowter and a Sri Lankan with an unspellable name) plus batters in Robson, Holden, Gubbins, Andersson (a biffer), skipper Eskinazi, Lace (probably one to miss out) and keeper Simpson.

I was planning to go tomorrow but not to be. I'm away elsewhere much of today but will watch the first half-hour on stream and try to keep up with the score.

* sorry, had missed your second post. I'm assuming Reifer isn't injured as the Club haven't said he is and he fielded some of Monday.

Yeah not holding out much hope of success with all the absentees this year, hopefully a few of the youngsters can impress. Intrigued to see Will Jacks’s development, England are very keen on him from what I’ve heard...

Not what we wanted! Eskinazi wins toss and .. . yeah, obviously ... bats.

Middlesex further helped in bowling last that they've included their 2 spinners, Sowter and Walallawita (may not be right but close!). I liked the Sri Lankan left armer on Sunday. Whacked by Clark for a four and a six in his first 3 balls on Sunday but kept his composure and ended up with something like 2/29 off 9 overs.

Of their original 14 man squad, Middlesex leave out seamers Roland-Jones (he was disappointing on Sunday and didn't look fully fit) and Helm plus batsman Helm.

Rikki with the only wkt of the morning session
nobody being sprayed around the park.

As Guildford stated earlier this was a horrible toss to lose.

Hmmm. Middlesex start day two on 264/4 with 29 of their maximum allocation of 120 overs remaining.

Not great for us by a long way but at least we kept it reasonably tight. The area that let us down however - going from a bit of the stream, highlights and reports - was catching. Although we took the odd good and stunning one, we managed to drop three in the day. With such a makeshift team, we can't afford that.

As mentioned yesterday, Middlesex had the advantage of winning the toss and batting but tbf they and especially Gubbins (carrying on from where he left off after last week's friendly with another century) made the most of that good fortune. He's still there on a chanceless 150.

First session should be very watchable. New ball available from the start. Thought Dunn and Clarke used it well yesterday. We obviously need to get Gubbins and soon . If not, Middlesex will be looking to top 400. Surrey will do extremely well if they can dismiss their opponents for around 330.

Coffee, the papers and Churchy for me this morning. Not a patch on being there but still beats a lot of things!

Strange but extremely interesting tactics from Middlesex which I quite like. Middlesex declare to give us a totally unexpected 10 or so minutes batting before lunch. However, they've left more than 8 overs and 4 wickets out there.

And in the final over before lunch Murtagh gets Patel excellently caught behind by Simpson to justify the declaration.

Clever, clever cricket by skipper Eskinazi.

rocky goes to as Guildford said the Sri Lankan with an unspellable name

Jacks enjoying himself against the unspellable

jimbobgooner wrote:rocky goes to as Guildford said the Sri Lankan with an unspellable name

Turned out to be a decent middle session for Surrey. Added 120 runs for just the loss of Stoneman.

Be very good if Borthwick and Jacks can continue to keep it going but I fear if one goes, others might follow quickly ....

50 for Borthwick

Jamie Smith appears to have gone full Boycott

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Jamie Smith appears to have gone full Boycott

189 for 3 at stumps

jimbobgooner wrote:189 for 3 at stumps

Slow going in the last session but a better end of day score than I feared when we were 9/1 at lunch. A maximum of 53 overs left for us to bat. My approach from here would be to use them all if we can and get a lead of some sort. Then it's up to our bowlers.

The draw probably looks favourite now but it's too soon to properly call and that could drastically change if either side has a bad batting session.

Excellent first hour for Surrey, rattled along to 249/3 off 84 overs. Borthwick 91*, Smith after doing his best Boycott impression yesterday, is doing his best KP impression today, and is now 57*

Only 98 behind, with 36 overs left to bat. If these two can get us around parity with 15-20 overs or so left, we could have a real wallop with the bat with Clark and Clarke to come...

Oops Borthwick out to a long hop from the right arm dibbly dobbler

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Oops Borthwick out to a long hop from the right arm dibbly dobbler

Just back from dentist so haven't seen any play yet but, yeah, Andersson looked very ordinary when he bowled in the friendly last week.

Anyway, provided we don't cave, we should get a lead of some sort before our 120 overs are up. No point us declaring imo.

guildfordbat wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Oops Borthwick out to a long hop from the right arm dibbly dobbler

Just back from dentist so haven't seen any play yet but, yeah, Andersson looked very ordinary when he bowled in the friendly last week.

Anyway, provided we don't cave, we should get a lead of some sort before our 120 overs are up. No point us declaring imo.

whoops 15 runs for 4 wkts
we said at the start the tail started too high and it's been proven the case.
worry now smith will miss out on a 100

I should have stayed at the dentist! A Surrey lead now very much looking like wishful thinking!

didn't need to worry after all
Smith goes for 80

could now lose this

28 runs for the last 7 wkts outstanding effort

Like you guys I knew we could implode but thought Borthwick and Smith had done enough in about the opening 90 minutes to set us up for a lead.

Mind you, that was a world beating implosion! Think numbers 6,7,8,9,10 and Jack totalled 8 runs between them and 4 of those came from a missed slip catch!

Surely we must have one more batsman knocking about somewhere?

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Surely we must have one more batsman knocking about somewhere?

is Roy available for the next game?

STUMPS Middlesex lead by 249 with 7 wkts in hand.
I'd imagine they will want to put us back in 20 minutes before lunch, fingers crossed we can survive but I'm not optimistic once we are 3 down.

jimbobgooner wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Surely we must have one more batsman knocking about somewhere?

is Roy available for the next game?

I think he could well be. It'll probably be a question of whether the England selectors will give him the ok. I would expect them to be more fussy about the bowlers.

jimbobgooner wrote:STUMPS Middlesex lead by 249 with 7 wkts in hand.
I'd imagine they will want to put us back in 20 minutes before lunch, fingers crossed we can survive but I'm not optimistic once we are 3 down.

They say that Day 3 is Moving Day. It sure was today and didn't move Surrey's way!

Credit though to young left arm spinner Moriarty. 3 wickets and looked the part. I mentioned the other day that I've heard good things about him and I like the spring in his step.

Churchy was suggesting late today that they might have another 20 overs tomorrow and then put us back in. That roughly ties in with your thinking. However, I reckon Middlesex have enough already and suspect Eskinazi (who was very bold with his first dig declaration) will see it that way and back his bowlers.

Maybe 8 overs, try and whack another 40 or so and get the lead to 290+. That would give Middlesex 80 overs to bowl us out. An even more ambitious option - if Eskinazi declared after 6 overs, that would allow his side 82 and, just in case needed, a couple with the new ball.
Strike that! Need 90 overs in this competition before new ball becomes available.

Anyway, I think we can all agree - it ain't looking good!

Borthwick goes 1st ball to the unspellable

20 for 3 at lunch

Well that’s not gone well

From a steady and patient 11/0 off 8 overs and the draw looking a serious contender, Surrey lose a wicket in each of the next 3 overs and go into lunch on 20/3 off 10.5.

Good and reliable work as ever from Murtagh to get Stoneman and Jacks. Particularly nice movement in to bowl Jacks although he allowed a big gate for it to get through. Borthwick flicked at Walallawita's first ball - a horrible loose one down leg - and got a touch which Simpson took well.

Earlier, Moriarty took a deserved fivefer on debut (the first since Sam Curran in 2015 per Church). He looks closer to the real deal than a rookie on debut.

60.1 overs left for Middlesex to take the last 7 wickets. Not that they should need them but Middlesex may be entitled to the odd extra over if their spinners bowl in tandem. I thought they batted longer than they needed with Simpson and Harris unable to keep the momentum going once Gubbins and Andersson fell. However, even if so, it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.

guildfordbat wrote:From a steady and patient 11/0 off 8 overs and the draw looking a serious contender, Surrey lose a wicket in each of the next 3 overs and go into lunch on 20/3 off 10.5.

Good and reliable work as ever from Murtagh to get Stoneman and Jacks. Particularly nice movement in to bowl Jacks although he allowed a big gate for it to get through. Borthwick flicked at Walallawita's first ball - a horrible loose one down leg - and got a touch which Simpson took well.

Earlier, Moriarty took a deserved fivefer on debut (the first since Sam Curran in 2015 per Church). He looks closer to the real deal than a rookie on debut.

60.1 overs left for Middlesex to take the last 7 wickets. Not that they should need them but Middlesex may be entitled to the odd extra over if their spinners bowl in tandem. I thought they batted longer than they needed with Simpson and Harris unable to keep the momentum going once Gubbins and Andersson fell. However, even if so, it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.

sad that in both innings Borthwick has got out to awful deliveries

JimBob - good point about Borthwick's dismissals.

Meanwhile, Patel and Smith putting up a good fight. Bit surprised about Patel as he's seemed out of form since his 2 knocks in the friendly until today.

Into the 30th and surprised that leggie Sowter hasn't bowled yet.

Harris currently bowling. Surrey were interested in him a few years back when Middlesex signed him from Glamorgan. Never been convinced, an ordinary bowling all rounder in my eyes. Maybe he can make me eat my words today ....

guildfordbat wrote:Into the 30th and surprised that leggie Sowter hasn't bowled yet.

Harris currently bowling. Surrey were interested in him a few years back when Middlesex signed him from Glamorgan. Never been convinced, an ordinary bowling all rounder in my eyes. Maybe he can make me eat my words today ....

right on cue Guildford

Smith gone start the car

jimbobgooner wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Into the 30th and surprised that leggie Sowter hasn't bowled yet.

Harris currently bowling. Surrey were interested in him a few years back when Middlesex signed him from Glamorgan. Never been convinced, an ordinary bowling all rounder in my eyes. Maybe he can make me eat my words today ....

right on cue Guildford

Tea. Runs don't matter. Middlesex need 5, think they have a minimum of 31 overs left. Clark(e)s at the wicket. Reckon they both need to see out the next 15 overs to give us a fair chance of escaping with an undeserved draw.

2 wkts in a over for SAM ROBSON
just seen them a full toss and a long hop

10 overs left
2 wkts left

9 down

Yeah, saw the last session. Horrible dismissals to Sam Robson of all people.

all out
28 for 7 1st innings
4 for 5 2nd innings
no wagging in that tail

Forgive me, all you Surrey fans, for a quick gloat over Middx's victory, especially as we're not actually good enough to be in the same division as you.

Bringing Robson on to bowl was almost a throwback to the old Brearley days. He once was completely stuck at Uxbridge and so threw the ball to opening batsman Wilf Slack who promptly took.....3-17.

Thoroughly deserved victory today and also some good finishes in some of the other matches, too.

It was a deserved victory for Middlesex although slightly disappointing that Sir Fred only turns up here after it's been achieved. Friends, neutrals and foes are always welcome during a game.

A lot of headlines understandably for Robson but it shouldn't be overlooked that the visitors bowled well as a unit. 3 wickets today for Cummins who impressed me in Surrey's first dig and last week's friendly when he went largely unrewarded. Particular praise also to Murtagh who took 7 match wickets and remains as canny and effective as ever - how Ireland must wish he was still eligible for them.

Feeble batting from Surrey's tail but too many of the top and middle order weren't up to the job either. Clarke dug in but only seemed to realise the need to protect the lower order when it was too late and ended up stumped by a mile.

Roy and Tom Curran may both be back for the next match. That'll be useful but on this showing we need more than that.