LANCASHIRE V SURREY at Blackpool (LVCC1), 27-30 AUGUST 2008

Much water has passed under the bridge since these two sides met on the opening day of the season. Given the climax to last summer, which saw Lancashire finish as runners-up in the championship and Surrey haul themselves up to fourth, following an impressive dash for the line, both counties were regarded as safe bets to stay up in 2008. How wrong everyone was.

The four-day match at Blackpool, which starts tomorrow, is likely to define Surrey and Lancashire's season. With seven out of the last nine championship games at Stanley Park having finished with a positive result, 14 points for the win would appear to be up for grabs for one of these two sides.

In recent years the Red Rose county has tended to under-perform with the bat when they have come up against the Brown Caps. This summer, only Paul Horton (869 runs at an average of 45.73) has made more than one hundred for Lancashire in the championship. Mal Loye, who was an England ODI player just 18 months ago, is averaging 7.92. Iain Sutcliffe's woeful form with the willow has led to him announcing his retirement. Even Stuart Law, who has averaged over fifty in five out of the last six summers, is going along at just 37.56 this term.

The biggest plus point for Lancashire has been the all-round form of Steven Croft, who is averaging 39.28 with the bat and 33.64 with the ball. Glen Chapple, Dominic Cork and Sajid Mahmood have led the attack with a fair degree of success, although, once again, Gary Keedy has failed to reproduce the form he showed between 2003 and 2006. That said, Keedy is yet to play at Stanley Park, which suggests it is a venue where the seamers hold sway.

To follow...

Surrey have dropped Stewart Walters and brought in Chris Murtagh, who had a good game for the 2nd XI against Middlesex last week. It remains to be seen, however, whether Murtagh will open. The Brown Caps have not had a three-figure first wicket partnership in the season's championship and the rumour is that Scott Newman will be partnered, up front, by Mark Ramprakash in this contest.

This match really could go either way. The key to the outcome is whether Lancashire's brittle batting is able to rediscover its form against, what it has to be admitted, is one of the weaker attacks in Division One.

K Brown, M Chilton, P Horton, S Law (capt), L Vincent, F du Plessis, S Croft, L Sutton (wk), G Chapple, D Cork and S Mahmood.

Nick Cook and Jeremy Lloyds.

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