MIDDLESEX CRUSADERS V SURREY BROWN CAPS at Southgate (C&G Trophy), 11 JUNE 2006

These two sides have somehow managed to avoid playing each other in List A cricket of late - the last such meeting being at Whitgift School in August 2002. Recent history also shows us that this fixture has a higher than average chance of being rain-affected. Thankfully, the forecast for tomorrow is very good; which has its downside since I suffer from hey fever at this time of year.

Anyway, when Middlesex have tasted success in one-day cricket this term it has often been due to the stranglehold seamers Chad Keegan (12 List A wickets at 13.58 runs apiece) and Johann Louw have put on opposition batsmen. James Dalrymple, with his off-spin, and New Zealander Scott Styris haven't exactly been expensive either.

Perhaps that has been just as well since only one of the Crusaders' line-up have struck more than one one-day half-century this summer - Ed Smith, who averages 49.50 and has a strike rate of 110 per hundred balls. Paul Weekes, who fell just four runs short of making 1,000 List A runs in 2005 is now confined to the sidelines, but Dalrymple, Ed Joyce and Owais Shah have the pedigree to figure with the bat in this form of cricket.


If Chris Thompson plays he will be making his first team debut for the Brown Caps. Thompson, an 18-year-old batsman who plays his Club cricket for Guildford, has appeared in three Under-19 Test matches and five Under-19 one-day internationals. Amongst the Crusaders' ranks, Ben Hutton has 49 List A wickets, Ed Smith has scored 2,970 one-day career runs, while Scott Styris has 4,965 List A runs against his name.


Jade Dernbach, Neil Saker, Chris Thompson and Stewart Walters have all been named in Surrey's squad of thirteen. Missing due to injury are Azhar Mahmood (ankle), James Benning (broken toe), Mark Butcher (back) and Ian Salisbury (knee); while Martin Bicknell and Jimmy Ormond are being rested.

OPPONENT DATE COMP RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Hampshire 4 Jun 2006 C&G Lost By 8 Wickets Whitgift School 166 (40.2) 167-2 (26)
Glamorgan 29 May 2006 C&G Won By 68 Runs The Oval 200 (45) 132 (31.3)
Ireland 14 May 2006 C&G No Result Stormont 100-2 (15) -
Somerset 7 May 2006 C&G Lost By 26 Runs The Oval 253 (47.5) 279-5 (50)
Kent 1 May 2006 C&G Won By 1 Run Canterbury 223-5 (30) 222-6 (30)


Unless stand-in skipper Rikki Clarke improves on his current showing with the ball in one-day cricket, I just don't see Surrey having the weaponry to scythe down the Crusaders. But, let's not overlook the fact that in the not too distant future Tim Murtagh and Jade Dernbach will be first team regulars and List A experience at this stage in their careers can only aid their development. In a roundabout way, therefore, I am saying Middlesex win.


E Joyce, E Smith, O Shah, B Hutton (capt), J Dalrymple, S Styris, N Compton, B Scott (wk), J Louw, C Silverwood and C Keegan.


Mark Benson and Nigel Llong.

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY MIDDLESEX
28 Jun 2005 T20 Won By 22 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 180-7 (20) 78-4 (11)
23 Jun 2005 T20 Won By 23 Runs Lord's Surrey Bat 200-3 (20) 177 (19.3)
15 Jul 2004 T20 Won By 37 Runs Lord's Middlesex Field 183-5 (20) 146-7 (20)
13 Jun 2003 T20 Won By 4 Wickets The Oval Surrey Field 158-6 (19.2) 155 (20)
6 Aug 2002 NL Lost By 65 Runs Whitgift Sch Surrey Field 209 (38.1) 274-8 (45)
7 Jul 2002 NL Won By 8 Wickets Southgate Surrey Field 197-2 (40.2) 194-8 (42)
28 Apr 2002 B&H Lost By 8 Wickets Lord's Middlesex Field 123 (38) 124-2 (30.2)
1 May 2001 B&H No Result The Oval Middlesex Field 146-2 (35) -
6 Aug 2000 NL Won By 5 Wickets Lord's Middlesex Bat 170-5 (39.1) 167-8 (45)
21 May 2000 NL No Result The Oval No toss made - - -
21 Apr 2000 B&H No Result Southgate No toss made - - -
7 Sep 1999 NL Won By 69 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 243-5 (45) 174 (41.2)
31 Aug 1999 NL Match Tied Lord's Middlesex Bat 252-9 (45) 252-5 (45)
19 Jul 1998 NL Won By 1 Run Guildford Middlesex Field 223-9 (40) 222 (40)
3 Aug 1997 NL No Result Lord's Surrey Bat 74-7 (23) -
7 Jul 1996 NL Won By 8 Wickets The Oval Surrey Field 132-2 (28.4) 131 (33.2)

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