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MIDDLESEX V
SURREY at Lord's (FCC1),
8-11 JUNE 2005 Both
sides go into this contest ruing their luck following their most recent
championship outings. A couple of weeks ago Middlesex almost got the better of
Sussex at Hove, thanks to half-centuries in each innings from the evergreen Paul
Weekes. However, the Martlets last pair held on for a draw. Still, after losing
two of their first three matches, the Seaxes need only to point to their
crushing win over Gloucestershire at Lord's, by 340 runs, to demonstrate that they
are a team on the up.
Without the loss of 87 overs at Whitgift last week, Surrey
would almost certainly have beaten Warwickshire, who needed no second invitation
when the opportunity to salvage a draw presented itself. After the match, acting
skipper Mark Ramprakash said: "I was very pleased with the
performance and went off thinking we've played really well there. There
was no real disappointment in what we did."
He added: "There was some very good cricket over
the three and a bit days we did get. I thought we bowled extremely well in both
innings. Although we didn't
manage to bowl them out second time around, I still
think we bowled very well. Harbhajan could easily have
had many more wickets and we did a lot of good things.
We caught well in both innings. With the bat,
everyone chipped in and there were two very good
knocks from Bicknell and Murtagh. Overall, we were
very pleased with the performance and I think things are coming together."
With only two Middlesex batsmen - Joyce and Shah - hitting
championship hundreds this term, the Seaxes have relied on their bowlers to do
the damage; and what a revelation Alan Richardson has turned out to be following
his move down from Birmingham. The 30-year-old seamer has so far taken 32
wickets at an average of 19.62 in the County Championship. New Zealander Scott
Styris has also been no slouch with the ball and, as expected, has added depth
to the North Londoners' batting order.
Those with approaching milestones include Mohammad Akram
(344 f-c wickets), Jonathan Batty
(9 f-c hundreds and 296 f-c catches for Surrey),
Martin Bicknell (98 f-c catches)
and Rikki Clarke (48 f-c wickets for Surrey).
Difficult. Middlesex are no pushovers when they are playing in their own
backyard, where Surrey have not won in the championship since 1997. On paper,
however, the visitors seem to have the advantage that they do not rely on a
handful of players. The weather doesn't appear as if it will be a factor this
week, so I've got to go for one or the other - oh, go on then, Surrey win. But
if we lose don't blame me, it will be because we have under-performed, again!
Thirteen into eleven doesn't go. Keith Medlycott was often presented with that
problem during what has finally come to be known as Surrey's glory years. Now
Steve Rixon is faced with the same dilemma. With the likes of Akram, Clarke,
Clinton and Murtagh impressing in the last fortnight, the Aussie's
man-management skills will be tested to the full. In a sense he is probably
thankful that Mark Butcher still isn't anywhere near being fit enough to play.
Last week the Brown Hats' skipper was quoted as saying that, if anything, his
injured left wrist has got worse, which must be desperately frustrating for him.
B Hutton (capt), E Smith, O Shah, E
Joyce, S Styris, J Dalrymple, P Weekes, B
Scott (wk), I Pathan, M Betts
and A Richardson.
|
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
MIDDLESEX |
|
19-22 May 2004 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
359 & 300-4d |
487-9d |
|
21-24 Apr 2004 |
Lost By 6 Wickets |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Field |
418 & 203 |
325 & 300-4 |
|
23-26 Jul 2003 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
Middlesex |
Field |
411 & 94-0 |
385 |
|
27-30 Jun 2003 |
Match Drawn |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
568 |
370 & 218-2d |
|
9-12 Sep 1999 |
Match Drawn |
Lord's |
Surrey |
Bat |
585 |
284 & 499-5 |
|
15-17 Jul 1998 |
Won By 280 Runs |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Bat |
150 & 420 |
115 & 175 |
|
15-17 Aug 1997 |
Won By An Innings & 125 Runs |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
531-9d |
205 & 201 |
|
4-8 Jul 1996 |
Won By 7 Wickets |
The Oval |
Middlesex |
Bat |
366 & 61-3 |
232 & 194 |
|
29 Jun - 3 Jul 1995 |
Lost By An Innings & 76 Runs |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
209 & 140 |
425 |
|
25-29 Aug 1994 |
Lost By 2 Wickets |
The Oval |
Middlesex |
Field |
425 & 313-3d |
350-5d & 392-8 |
|
24-28 Jun 1993 |
Lost By 4 Wickets |
Lord's |
Surrey |
Bat |
322 & 225 |
330 & 219-6 |
|
12-15 Sep 1992 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Middlesex |
Bat |
141-3d & 325-9 |
441 & 32-0d |
|
23-26 May 1992 |
Match Drawn |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
188 & 227-9 |
486-7d |
|
10-13 Sep 1991 |
Lost By 60 Runs |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
235 & 116 |
224 & 187 |
|
20-22 Aug 1991 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
341-9d & 208 |
297 &101-2 |
|
12-15 Sep 1990 |
Match Drawn |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
480-9d & 373 |
425-8d & 102-2 |
|
23-25 May 1990 |
Match Drawn |
Lord's |
Middlesex |
Bat |
286-7d & 0-0 |
310 & 224 |
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