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1) I thought that Surrey’s opening side for the championship match against Sussex would have Richard Clinton as opener. However, looking at Surrey’s squad of 22 he wouldn’t be in the best 16. Last season he became Scott Newman’s opening partner, when Jon Batty’s three roles became one too many and had limited success. However, this year Batty could go back to opening rather than bat at 5. This would mean they could play five bowlers with Rikki Clarke as cover (yes I know he got four wickets in the Glamorgan game). It is bowlers who win matches especially in the four-day game, where there are no soft declarations. In fact, the game in question would have benefited from two forfeited innings. With Azhar looking a natural No.7 and Bickers at 8, one batsman at present needs to be omitted for this to work. Also, looking at the bowlers available to Surrey in 2005 - Bickers, the Turbanator, Azhar, Solly, Doshi, Mohammed Akram, Jimmy O and Tim Murtagh – it would be a shame not to play five. Of course, I knew that when I intended to write this Clinton would make the inevitable 100 against the UCCE, which will cloud the issue for a little time to come. If Thorpey does not make the Test squad and Butch returns from injury, Surrey will have some interesting selection decisions. 2) Having written of the need for an attacking selection policy at county level, I am wondering whether it would be better to go safety first at Test level if Ian Bell continues to develop as a bowler. Bell at 6 and Flintoff at 7 with a wicket-keeper at 8. This would also give the option of selecting Read as the keeper, then Giles, Hoggard and Harmison. The matches against Bangladesh must be used to fine tune for the Ashes series and this is an experiment that could be tried. With Strauss, Vaughan and Trescothick as certainties – there is competition between Pietersen, Key, Thorpe, Bell and possibly Butcher. 3) With England’s success last summer it led to five England players being named as Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Key’s county success must have contributed as much as his Test success, which was really built around one big score. I wonder when English players last won all five. Let’s hope we win all five again in 2006. 4) Letter from David Stewart, Chairman, Surrey County Cricket Club… Dear Surrey Member, I am sure that like me you are thrilled to see that after many years of planning the Vauxhall end has now been redevolped. It looks a magnificent structure. I would like to invite you to all come and join me to look around inside and see the excellent new facilities we can offer. Yours, David 5) With all our scoreboard problems, why don’t they just give us our old scoreboard back? It had become a famous sight and was rightly regarded as the best operated in the world. The groundstaff can operate it, so there shouldn’t be much additional cost. 6) It’s not how you start its how you finish. Surrey seem to have made a sluggish start for several years now. The weather seems to be worse in London in April. At least we had a UCCE game and got one bad performance out of the way.
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