For a long time, it was thought this game would determine who would stay in Division One and who would be playing Division Two cricket next season. As it is, there's nothing resting on it, due to Surrey's thumping 195-run victory over Nottinghamshire last week and Lancashire's subsequent defeat at the hands of Middlesex; when the red rose county had no real choice but to chase 304 runs in 39 overs.

Like most sides who finish eighth in Division One, Lancashire will be expected to bounce back at the first attempt. If they do, a marked improvement from their batting corps will be behind their return to winning ways. This summer, only one front line Lancashire batsman - Ashwell Prince (1,008 championship runs at an average of 43.82) - has averaged over thirty.

Similarly, the red rose county have been indebted to one man with the ball - skipper Glen Chapple, who has taken 42 wickets at 24.04 runs apiece. Some will highlight Simon Kerrigan's (44 four-day wickets at an average of 33.31) progression, which has been a positive, but having failed to claim a five-wicket haul, the 23-year-old spinner is still bracketed as a chipper-in-er rather than an out and out threat.

County champions one year to relegation the next. The harsh lesson Lancashire have learnt this year serves to underline just how well Surrey did, given everything that was thrown at them, to avoid the drop in 2012.

If he plays, Lancashire's Gareth Cross will be making his 50th appearance in first-class cricket. Also for the hosts, Luke Procter (950) is approaching 1,000 f-c career runs and Tom Smith needs one more scalp for 150 first-class wickets.

Surrey's 13-man squad suggests there will be a number of faces unfamiliar to the Lancashire faithful. With nothing hanging on the result, perhaps Matt Dunn and Tom Jewell will be handed their first starts in ages. 

If, like me, you have seen the weather forecast, you know exactly what I am about to say. With rain likely to affect days one and two, it's a draw for me. Good job, there isn't anything resting on this contest. 

P Horton, L Procter, K Brown, S Croft, A Agathangelou, T Smith, G Chapple (capt), A Davies (wk), O Newby, G Keedy and S Kerrigan.

Michael Gough and Jeremy Lloyds.

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