LANCASHIRE LIGHTNING V SURREY LIONS at Old Trafford (TSL1), 31 AUGUST 2004

I don't know why it has taken this long, but yesterday I suddenly thought to myself: "I can't remember seeing Surrey win away from home this summer." So, I checked. Apart from in the Twenty20 Cup, the Ovalites have had only one success on the road in 2004 - against Kent in the totesport League. Forget the recent upswing in our championship performances, that rates as a truly lamentable record. The relevance, naturally, is that Surrey's run-in is exclusively on detached duty.

For the visitors, the only man averaging more than thirty with the bat in one-day cricket this year, who's certain to start, is Adam Hollioake; for whom this will be his last ever appearance for the club he led to seven major titles in as many summers. In the opposition dressing room, there will be four such batters - Dinesh Mongia (48.20), Mark Chilton (553 runs at 39.50), Carl Hooper (36.87) and Iain Sutcliffe (33.53).

Continuing the head-to-head theme, the Lightning will probably field five bowlers who are currently giving away five or less runs per over, compared with two, maybe three, by the Lions. The dangermen for Lancashire are Sajid Mahmood (28 List A wickets at 20.85 runs apiece), Glen Chapple and Dominic Cork.

Milestones for tomorrow night - Alistair Brown is set to make his 300th one-day appearance for Surrey. Azhar Mahmood still has 47 limited-overs wickets for the club, so requires three more for his 50th. If he plays, Alex Tudor is three away from 100 one-day league wickets, while Martin Bicknell is closing in on his 250th such scalp. He needs three more to achieve that particular landmark.

Seven out of the last nine limited-overs meetings between these two sides have been won by the team batting last. But, away from home, against the opponent that whopped us at Whitgift and who have generally been difficult for Surrey to break down on the road in one-day cricket in recent years... Shall I simply say, diplomatically, I'm not hopeful.

Once again, your guess is as good as mine. But this time it's because Steve Rixon and Jonathan Batty are waiting to assess the fitness of the 15 players they will be taking to Old Trafford - the eleven that lost to Northants yesterday plus Mark Butcher, Tim Murtagh, Scott Newman and Alex Tudor.

M Chilton, I Sutcliffe, D Cork, D Mongia, C Hooper (capt), C Schofield, G Chapple, K Hogg, J Haynes (wk), S Mahmood and P Martin.

15 Aug 2004	NL	Lost By 8 Wickets	Whitgift School
7 Aug 2004	T20	Won By 1 Run	Edgbaston
30 Jun 2002	NL	No Result	Old Trafford
12 May 2002	NL	Won By 6 Wickets	The Oval
26 Jul 2000	NWT	Lost By 8 Wickets	The Oval
17 Jun 1998	NL	Lost By 4 Wickets	Old Trafford
27-28 May 1998	B&H	Won By 5 Wickets	The Oval
14 Sep 1997	NL	Won By 5 Wickets	The Oval
11 Aug 1996	NL	Won (Scoring Rate)	Old Trafford
3 Sep 1995	NL	Lost By 6 Wickets	The Oval
6 Jul 1994	NWT	Won By 125 Runs	The Oval
8 May 1994	NL	Won By 1 Run	The Oval
6 Jun 1993	NL	Won By 165 Runs	The Oval
11 May 1993	B&H	Lost By 6 Runs	The Oval
26 Jul 1992	NL	Lost (Scoring Rate)	Old Trafford
27 May 1992	B&H	Won By 75 Runs	The Oval
18 Aug 1991	NL	Won By 21 Runs	Old Trafford
30 May 1990	B&H	Lost By 46 Runs	Old Trafford
6 May 1990	NL	Lost By 7 Wickets	The Oval
24 Apr 1990	B&H	Lost By 76 Runs	Old Trafford

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