HAMPSHIRE V SURREY at the Ageas Bowl (SSCC1), 17-20 JULY 2016

It's crunch time at the Ageas Bowl. Eighth-placed Surrey go into this game wondering if they'll ever put serious runs on the board this season, while, for bottom-placed Hampshire (who have a game in hand) the concern is how they will ever bowl sides out twice with Fidel Edwards and Reece Topley sidelined and spin duo Mason Crane and Liam Dawson averaging 38.85 and 97.25 respectively with the ball in the Specsavers County Championship. Surrey's opposite numbers, Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty, have collected their wickets at a tad over thirty runs apiece. Also, speedster Stuart Meaker (19 scalps at 21.63) looks something like close to his best. Surrey will be hoping Meaker's radar continues to home in on off stump, given that their average first innings total has been a mere 260 of late.

Michael Carberry's recent withdrawal, after being diagnosed with cancer, and international calls for both Dawson (England Lions) and James Vince will leave the hosts even more depleted. Fingers crossed for Carbs, who, of course, started his career at the Oval. With the bat, much rests on the shoulders of Adam Wheater, who is fresh from hitting an unbeaten 204 against Warwickshire, and, in the event of early wickets, Sean Ervine and Ryan McLaren taking the innings deep. Ervine and McLaren are currently averaging just under 50 in the championship; not so wicketkeeper Lewis McManus (1.66 - that's not a typo) and captain Will Smith (22.93).

Turning to Hampshire's bowling, Gareth Berg, who was second to Edwards with 42 wickets at an average of 28.11 in four-day cricket last year, has managed just four scalps at 58.00 in three appearances this. The previously ever reliable James Tomlinson has had one or two niggles and overseas fast bowler Tino Best is averaging 39.57 runs per victim in the County Championship. So, McLaren and Gareth Andrew have become Hampshire's key partnership breakers, while Crane continues developing nicely as a future England spinner.

Surrey v Hampshire - First-Class Records Sheet


The number of first-class hundreds by Surrey batsmen still stands at 1,999. Ben Foakes (2,442) is approaching 2,500 f-c career runs. Hampshire's former Somerset and Worcestershire all-rounder, Gareth Andrew (2,950) is closing in on 3,000 first-class runs.


Tom Curran is unavailable, following his England Lions call-up, so, in addition to the other ten who played against Yorkshire last week, Mark Footitt, Arun Harinath and Mathew Pillans complete the visitors' 13-man squad.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Yorkshire 11-14 Jul 2016 Match Drawn The Oval 267 & 106-1 407
Warwickshire 2-4 Jul 2016 Lost By 10 Wickets Guildford 273 & 177 449 & 5-0
Nottinghamshire 19-22 Jun 2016 Won By 228 Runs The Oval 323 & 244-5d 182 & 157
Somerset 28-30 May 2016 Lost By 1 Wicket Taunton 264 & 138 102 & 301-9
Lancashire 22-24 May 2016 Lost By An Inns & 96 Runs Old Trafford 191 & 107 394


The weather forecast for what will be only the third championship meeting between these two sides since 2008 looks set fair, with day three predicted to be a scorcher. Surrey have never lost a four-day game away to Hampshire since the hosts' move from Northlands Road to the Rose Bowl in 2001 and, with the home side depleted, the Oval outfit will have a better chance of beating their fellow strugglers. Prediction - Surrey to show some fight.


W.Smith (capt), J.Adams, T.Alsop, A.Wheater, S.Ervine, R.McLaren, G.Andrew, G.Berg, L.McManus (wk), J.Tomlinson and M.Crane.


Michael Burns and Jeremy Lloyds. Lloyds has not officiated in a Surrey four-day contest since April 2014. But, since 2000, Surrey's record in championship matches when Lloyds has stood reads Played 16, Won 5, Drawn 9 and Lost 2. Burns has umpired in just two Surrey champo games - both last season and both of which the Oval outfit won by an innings at the Oval. Combined leg-before-o-meter: 16.2% of dismissals.

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY HAMPSHIRE
28 Jun - 1 Jul 2014 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 474-8d & 13-0d 354
27-30 Apr 2014 Match Drawn Rose Bowl Surrey Field 99-2 400-6d
9-12 Sep 2008 Lost By An Inns & 122 Runs The Oval Surrey Field 210 & 148 480-8d
14-17 May 2008 Match Drawn Rose Bowl Surrey Bat 278 & 229-8d 227 & 247-8
30 Aug - 2 Sep 2007 Won By An Inns & 37 Runs Rose Bowl Surrey Bat 556 221 & 298
25-28 Apr 2007 Lost By 35 Runs The Oval Hampshire Bat 203 & 467 481 & 224-1
24-27 Aug 2005 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 378 & 302 361-6d
15-17 Jun 2005 Won By An Inns & 55 Runs Rose Bowl Surrey Bat 361 146 & 160
11-14 Sep 2002 Won By 123 Runs Rose Bowl Surrey Bat 418 & 422-8d 327 & 390
22-25 Aug 2002 Won By An Inns & 60 Runs The Oval Hampshire Bat 576 190 & 326
29 Jun - 2 Jul 2000 Won By 120 Runs Southampton Surrey Bat 331 & 228-6d 167 & 272
1-4 Jun 2000 Won By 2 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 333 & 142 210 & 263
14-17 Jul 1999 Won By 156 Runs Guildford Surrey Bat 171 & 482 322 & 175
13-15 May 1998 Won By An Inns & 184 Runs Southampton Surrey Bat 591 189 & 218
16-19 Jul 1997 Won By 9 Wickets Guildford Surrey Bat 477 & 78-1 303 & 251
25-29 Jul 1996 Won By 5 Wickets Southampton Hampshire Bat 331 & 332-5 359 & 301-4d
14-18 Sep 1995 Match Drawn The Oval Hampshire Bat 71-2d & 175-2 185 & 152
18-22 Aug 1994 Lost By An Inns & 68 Runs Southampton Surrey Bat 150 & 385 603-7d
31 Aug - 3 Sep 1993 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 380 & 281-8 559
19-22 May 1992 Lost By 10 Wickets Southampton Hampshire Bat 184 & 369 552-9d & 2-0

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