DURHAM V SURREY at the Riverside (LVCC1), 13-16 AUGUST 2007

Surrey will be hoping that Durham's thoughts are on next Saturday's Friends Provident Trophy final. The hosts could be forgiven if they are. Based on last season's standings, Durham are probably one more win away from securing their place in the championship's top flight for a further term. Steve Harmison, who gave Surrey a working over in the corresponding fixture at the Brit Oval four weeks ago is back following his hernia operation, but is he really going to risk missing his county's first Lord's showpiece by pulling out all the stops again?

Since the last meeting between these two sides, the Brown Caps have unearthed Chris Jordan while Rikki Clarke has succumbed to "illness"; for their part, the Riversiders have remedied the fact that they only have three men with a batting average over forty by bringing in Shivnarine Chanderpaul. For some reason Kyle Coetzer was left out at the Brit Oval, but the 23-year-old Scot has now inked his name in for the remainder of the summer by setting up Durham's nine wicket victory over Warwickshire with a first innings 142. Michael Di Venuto still leads the way in the championship, though, with 937 runs at an average of 78.08. Lest one forgets, he too was missing at the Oval. All in all, therefore, Surrey should find the home side much harder to knock over this time round.

Without doubt, the Riversiders' in-form bowler is Ottis Gibson, who followed up his 10-47 in the first innings against Hampshire with 4-56 and 4-99 against Warwickshire. Of late, Liam Plunkett has blown hot and cold, spinner Paul Wiseman has played a fuller part, but been expensive, while Graham Onions has gone off the boil completely; thus opening the door for Ben Harmison and Mark Davies. The return of Steve Harmison (31 championship wickets at 15.64 runs apiece) is therefore timely.  


Harbhajan Singh needs 2 wickets for 500 first-class wickets in total and four wickets to have bagged 50 wickets for Surrey. Scott Newman is 58 runs short of 5,000 for Surrey. Jimmy Ormond needs 5 runs for 1,000 f-c runs for Surrey. Mark Ramprakash is 122 runs short of 30,000 f-c career runs. Of the Durham line-up, Michael Di Venuto needs 63 runs for 1,000 f-c runs for the season.


Surrey take the same thirteen to the Riverside as travelled to Canterbury.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Kent 8-9 Aug 2007 Won By 4 Wickets Canterbury 215 &108-6 150 & 171
Worcestershire 25-28 Jul 2007 Match Drawn Guildford 369 217 & 307-5
Yorkshire 20-23 Jul 2007 Match Drawn Headingley 229 307 & 2-1
Durham 8-10 Jul 2007 Won By 6 Wickets The Oval 243 & 154-4 191 & 204
Worcestershire 6-9 Jun 2007 Match Drawn Worcester 370 & 281-9 701-6d


With the weather forecast to take a turn for the worst on days three and four, if my money wasn't on a draw before, it is now.


M Di Venuto, M Stoneman, K Coetzer, S Chanderpaul, D Benkenstein (capt), P Mustard (wk), O Gibson, P Wiseman, L Plunkett, S Harmison and M Davies.


John Steele and Peter Willey.

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY DURHAM
8-10 Jul 2007 Won By 6 Wickets The Oval Durham Bat 243 & 154-4 191 & 204
6-9 Sep 2000 Won By An Inns & 68 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 453-4d 241 & 144
2-4 May 2000 Lost By 231 Runs Riverside Surrey Field 104 & 85 234 & 186
30 Jun - 3 Jul 1999 Won By 226 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 335 & 247-6d 217 & 139
9-12 Sep 1998 Won By 121 Runs Riverside Surrey Bat 323 & 142-1d 253-3d & 91
6-9 Aug 1997 Won By 9 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 350-9d & 64-1 136 & 274
20-24 Jun 1996 Won By 8 Wickets Stockton-on-Tees Durham Bat 440 & 142-2 377 & 203
11-15 May 1995 Won By An Inns & 159 Runs The Oval Durham Bat 652-9d 269 & 224
30 Jun - 4 Jul 1994 Won By 290 Runs Darlington Surrey Bat 236 & 538-6d 335 & 149
1-2 Jul 1993 Won By An Inns & 205 Runs The Oval Durham Field 473-9d 148 & 120
31 Jul - 3 Aug 1992 Won By 7 Wickets Durham Univ Surrey Field 431 & 116-3 189 & 357

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