GLOUCESTERSHIRE V SURREY at Bristol (LVCC)
28 APRIL - 1 MAY 2022

Ninth plays host to the early-season pace-setters. Surrey remain top of Division One following back-to-back victories at home to Hampshire and Somerset. But Gloucestershire have endured a rocky start to the campaign, losing to Yorkshire and Lancashire after drawing with Northants.

The Bristolians welcome back seamer David Payne for this clash, who will be looking to form an all left-arm partnership with new overseas signing Pakistan's Mohammad Amir.

Payne, who averaged 21.14 with the ball in last year's championship, and Amir will need to hit the ground running given that Gloucestershire have found wickets hard to come by. Last summer, Ryan Higgins averaged 22.41, now he's averaging 34.50; and Graeme van Buuren's stock has fallen from 17.00 to 62.50.

James Bracey (326 champo runs at 54.33), Marcus Harris (57.00) and Ryan Higgins (49.60) have enjoyed early season form with the bat, but now it's time for Chris Dent (31.25), Tom Lace (29.83) and Miles Hammond (16.16) to put their hands up.

Arguably the Surrey player to look out for is Ben Foakes. Proof that he is more than just a world-class wicketkeeper, Foakes is averaging 144 with the bat three outings in. What's more, his career average against Gloucestershire reads 619 runs at 103.16, including 4 of his 12 first-class centuries.

Surrey v Gloucestershire - First-Class Records Sheet

Hashim Amla (18,907) and Rory Burns (10,904) are closing in on 19,000 and 11,000 first-class runs respectively. Meanwhile, Colin de Grandhomme (197) and Jamie Overton (196) both have 200 f-c wickets in their sights. Gloucestershire's skipper Graeme van Buuren, who has 97 first-class career wickets, will be making his 100th f-c appearance, while Chris Dent (9,836) and Tom Lace (1,909) will be hoping for time in the middle to notch-up 10,000 and 2,000 first-class runs respectively.

The visitors welcome the arrival of New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme (who replaces Kemar Roach as Surrey's second overseas player) and seamer Dan Worrall. Both are seemingly set to make their debut for the Oval outfit. James Taylor (bruised toe) drops out, but with Gus Atkinson and Amar Virdi in the South Londoners' 14-man squad it will be interesting to see who makes the cut.

With day four predicted to be wet, I'm saying draw, which, on one hand, seems somewhat pessimistic given that the form and confidence of each side is heading in opposite directions. But, on the other, let's not forget Surrey have not won an away championship game starting in April since Leicester in 2006.

M.Harris, C.Dent, J.Bracey (wk), M.Hammond, G van Buuren (capt), R.Higgins, T.Lace, Shaw, M.Taylor, D.Payne and Mohammad Amir.

Mike Burns and Hasan Adnan.

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