ESSEX EAGLES V SURREY BROWN CAPS at Chelmsford (FPT), 25 MAY 2008

If you believe the weather forecast - experience tells me you never should - tomorrow's match at Chelmsford will be abandoned without a ball being bowled. A point apiece might well be enough for Essex to qualify for the last eight, but with Middlesex to play on Wednesday, the Eagles may even fancy a 15-over slog if it comes to it given that Surrey haven't exactly lit up this year's competition.

As the Brown Caps discovered on 11 May, Essex's strength in the short form of the game rests with the bat. Jason Gallian, Ravi Bopara and Mark Pettini have all featured strongly in the FPT; so have James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate when they have been given opportunities to put runs on the board.

With the ball, David Masters and James Middlebrook - not an obvious match-winning duo - have been in superb form in one-day cricket and have been ably backed up by Graham Napier and Chris Wright, not to mention some excellent ground fielding by the Eagles. 

Click here for the Surrey v Essex List A Records sheet at at the start of the 2008 season.


Jonathan Batty has 199 List A dismissals and is four runs away from his 2,500th List A run. Alistair Brown has 19 one-day hundreds. Jade Dernbach has 46 wickets in List A cricket. Mark Ramprakash has 14 one-day hundreds against his name.


Twenty-year-old all-rounder, Matthew Spriegel and wicketkeeper Gary Wilson are both set to make their Surrey debuts, with Jonathan Batty and Jade Dernbach (from the side that lost to Kent a week ago) most likely making way. With no Neil Saker in the squad, Surrey may well opt to play the extra batsman again, thus leaving the door ajar for Scott Newman to return to one-day action. 

OPPONENT DATE COMP RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Kent 18 May 2008 FPT Lost By 17 Runs Canterbury 320 (49.4) 337-3 (50)
Essex 11 May 2008 FPT Lost By 156 Runs The Oval 235 (38.2) 391-5 (50)
Sussex 8 May 2008 FPT Won By 67 Runs Hove 346-3 (50) 279-8 (50)
Kent 5 May 2008 FPT Lost By 90 Runs The Oval 192 (42.4) 282-7 (50)
Middlesex 4 May 2008 FPT Won By 5 Wickets Lord's 236-5 (47) 233-8 (50)


Over the years Surrey have tended to be a better championship outfit than a one-day one and this season it's no different. It would be sweet if they could avenge the 156-run defeat at the Oval, but, realistically, Essex will probably be too much of a handful for the Brown Caps again. 


M Pettini (capt), J Gallian, V Chopra, R Bopara, G Flower, R ten Doeschate, J Foster (wk), J Middlebrook, G Napier, D Masters and C Wright.


Steve Garratt and John Holder.

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY ESSEX
11 May 2008 FPT Lost By 156 Runs The Oval Essex Bat 235 (38.2) 391-5 (50)
28 Jun 2007 T20 Lost By 3 Wickets Chelmsford Surrey Bat 174-4 (20) 175-7 (18.5)
3 Jun 2007 FPT Lost By 8 Runs Whitgift School Essex Bat 240 (49.4) 248 (47.3)
1 Jul 2006 T20 Lost By 4 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 188-7 (20) 189-6 (18.2)
25 Jun 2006 C&G Lost By 6 Wickets Chelmsford Essex Field 128 (39) 131-4 (15.3)
5 Jul 2005 T20 Lost By 1 Run Chelmsford Surrey Field 70-2 (5) 71-3 (5)
25 Aug 2004 NL No Result Chelmsford Essex Bat - 135-5 (25.1)
7 Jul 2004 T20 No Result Chelmsford No toss made - - -
23 May 2004 NL Won By 31 Runs The Oval Essex Field 268 (43.3) 237 (42.5)
14 Jun 2003 T20 Won By 44 Runs Imber Court Essex Field 182-9 (20) 138 (18.5)
8 Jun 2003 NL Won By 3 Wickets The Oval Surrey Field 221-7 (42.5) 220 (44.2)
27 Apr 2003 NL Won By 15 Runs Chelmsford Essex Field 268-8 (45) 253 (43)
8 Sep 2002 NL Won By 2 Runs Chelmsford Essex Field 162 (43.3) 160 (38.2)
28 Jul 2002 NL Won By 73 Runs Guildford Essex Field 310-7 (45) 237 (40.1)
2 May 2002 B&H Lost By 4 Wickets Chelmsford Essex Field 223 (49.2) 224-6 (45.2)
5 May 2001 B&H Won By 6 Wickets The Oval Essex Bat 223-4 (47) 222-8 (50)

GO TO:




BACK TO: