GLOUCESTERSHIRE V SURREY at Bristol (LVCC2), 2-5 SEPTEMBER 2009

A few weeks ago, following their ten-wicket victory at Southend-on-Sea, Gloucestershire would have been everyone's favourites to gain promotion along with Kent. But, since then, the Nevil Road outfit have lost to Leicestershire by 44 runs and to Middlesex by 180 runs.

With 22-year-old opener Rob Woodman averaging just fourteen with the bat and both Kadeer Ali and Hamish Marshall having indifferent seasons, one of the Bristolians' main problems has been finding themselves two down for not very many. No wonder they are being linked with Jonathan Batty regarding a move. The middle order trio of Alex Gidman - 738 championship runs at an average of 38.84 - Steve Adshead and James Franklin are the main dangers with the bat. But former skipper Chris Taylor found a little bit of form last week when he top scored in Gloucestershire's first innings at Lord's.

With the ball, the key man is Steve Kirby, who has taken 53 wickets at 20.39 runs apiece in the Champo this year. Jon Lewis has also had a good summer, but he did not take a wicket in the loss to Middlesex, which placed extra demands on 20-year-old Ian Saxleby and the steady Franklin. But, for whatever reason, slow left-armer Vikram Banerjee has not featured in the championship since the middle of July, despite averaging 30.05. His replacement, the former England off-spinner Richard Dawson is averaging 78.50 runs per victim.


Rangana Herath and Arun Harinath are poised to make their Surrey debuts. Usman Afzaal goes into this contest with 99 catches in first-class cricket, while Jonathan Batty has 495. With the bat, Afzaal needs 34 runs for a thousand for the season and, career-wise, Stewart Walters has 958 first-class runs. Of the likely Gloucestershire line-up, Steve Adshead has 196 f-c dismissals.


The Brown Caps have drafted in Sri Lanka's 31-year-old slow left-armer Rangana Herath, who looks likely to replace Pedro Collins; whose performances with the ball at Canterbury made less of an impression than his efforts with the bat. With Mark Ramprakash out for the rest of the season with a fractured right thumb, 22-year-old opener Arun Harinath will make his Surrey debut. It means, of course, that Gloucestershire have been spared facing Ramprakash in the championship this summer (he was suspended for the season's opener). Given that his last four first-class innings against them have gone 192, 292, 75 and 51, Gloucestershire must be overjoyed.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Kent 28-31 Aug 2009 Lost By 6 Wickets Canterbury 423 & 293 517 & 200-4
Essex 19-22 Aug 2009 Lost By 9 Wickets Colchester 428 & 190 545 & 74-1
Derbyshire 6-9 Aug 2009 Match Drawn Whitgift Sch 362 & 320-4d 334 & 232-5
Leicestershire 31 Jul - 3 Aug 2009 Match Drawn Brit Oval 608-4d 593-5d & 23-0
Essex 15-18 Jul 2009 Match Drawn Guildford 352-8d 401 & 201-3


Surrey have not won a championship game at Bristol since June 1992, when Mark Butcher made his first-class debut and James Boiling's second innings 6-84 set up a straight-forward chase for the visitors. The wet weather forecast for tomorrow coupled with the fact that both sides are short of confidence at the moment points to one thing - draw.


Kadeer Ali, W Porterfield, H Marshall, A Gidman (capt), C Taylor, J Franklin, S Adshead (wk), R Dawson, I Saxleby, J Lewis and S Kirby.


Neil Bainton and Nigel Cowley. See also The Dreaded Finger

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY GLOS
15-18 Apr 2009 Match Drawn The Oval Glos Bat 160 & 64-2 333
6-9 Sep 2006 Match Drawn Bristol Surrey Field 288 & 470-9 459 & 329-8d
3-5 May 2006 Won By An Inns & 297 Runs The Oval Glos Bat 639-8d 207 & 135
16-19 Aug 2005 Match Drawn The Oval Glos Bat 463 350 &294-6
8-11 Jul 2005 Match Drawn Bristol Surrey Bat 603 & 84-3 288 & 494
18-21 Jun 2004 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Field 598 368 & 255-9
2-4 Jun 2004 Lost By 6 Wickets Bristol Surrey Bat 298 & 213 406 & 106-4
13-16 Apr 1999 Match Drawn The Oval Glos Field 342 & 229-7d 213 & 209-5
22-24 Jul 1998 Lost By 2 Wickets Cheltenham Surrey Bat 297 & 135 167 & 266-8
14-16 May 1997 Lost By 9 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 115 & 269 371 & 15-1
23-27 May 1996 Match Drawn Gloucester Glos Bat 228-6d & 174-8 373 & 163-2d
27-30 Apr 1995 Won By 93 Runs The Oval Glos Bat 217 & 475 392 & 207
26-30 May 1994 Won By 1 Wicket Gloucester Surrey Field 72-3d & 354-9 319-7d & 106-4d
15-17 Jul 1993 Won By An Inns & 66 Runs Guildford Surrey Field 381 153 & 162
26-29 Jun 1992 Won By 4 Wickets Bristol Surrey Field 300-5d & 232-6 352-9d & 178

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