LANCASHIRE LIGHTNING V SURREY at Old Trafford (YB40), 19 MAY 2013

Surrey, who haven't lost a game in this season's Yorkshire Bank 40, take on Lancashire, who haven't won one. However, the absence of Zafar Ansari and Graeme Smith from the South Londoners' line-up must tip the balance back towards the Lightning, who have won eight of the last 12 List A matches held at Old Trafford against Surrey; ignoring the no result in 2002.

In last year's CB40, Lancashire's batting revolved around Karl Brown, Steven Croft and Stephen Moore. The latter top scored against Durham the other day, while Brown made a handy 32. With the ball, last term, Glen Chapple, who is rested, and Gary Keedy, who now lines up against his old county, exerted control while Ajmal Shahzad, who is now at Notts, was the chief partnership breaker. Judging by the early days of this summer's competition the key man in the Lightning's attack seems 27-year-old slow left-armer, Stephen Parry.

Click here for the Surrey v Lancashire List A Records sheet as at the start of the 2013 season.

Surrey's Jon Lewis is set to make his 225th appearance in List A limited-overs cricket. Should Jason Roy repeat what he did against Durham, he will glide past 1,000 one-day career runs. He currently has 936.

Surprisingly, given it's a one-dayer and his fitness is believed to be an issue, Chris Tremlett has been named in the squad for Old Trafford. So, if he doesn't play, I can only assume he was omitted from the last two championship matches due to his disappointing form. Zafar Ansari, who is rapidly becoming such a crucial limited-overs option for Surrey, misses the game because of "university commitments"; and, of course, Graeme Smith - another who starred in the South Londoners' victory over Hampshire - is recovering from the left ankle operation he had on May 16th.

As you probably worked out from the intro, I'm leaning towards a Lancashire win. Don't get me wrong, the Lightning are beatable, but Surrey must be at a low ebb following today's championship defeat at Trent Bridge. With eleven days to reflect on it before their next four-day game gets underway, the Oval outfit need use this game and next week's trip to Scotland, meaningfully, to get back to winning ways.

S Moore, A Prince, S Croft, K Brown, S Katich (capt), J Clark, W White, G Cross (wk), S Parry, K Hogg and S Kerrigan.

Michael Gough and Graham Lloyd.

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