SOMERSET V SURREY at Taunton (SSCC1), 14-17 MAY 2019

Top plays host to seventh in Division One of the Specsavers County Championship; and what a crucial game it promises to be. Somerset have set off like a rocket, with a record of Played 2 Won 2. If Surrey are to are to retain the title, they could really do without the cidermen making it three out of three. The Oval outfit's only four-dayer to date, against Essex, ended honourably - in a draw that owed far more to their showing with the bat than the ball, which is worth recalling given their failings with the willow in the 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup.

When these two met last September the loss of the final day (which we won't go into) prevented Surrey recording what would have been only their second championship victory at Taunton since 1962. So, as it is, their solitary success there in the last 57 years remains the victory in 1986 - when, due to no play on the middle day (back then, matches were over three days), Somerset declared their first innings and Surrey then forfeited their second to leave the hosts needing 345. Just over two hours later it was all done and dusted thanks to the fearsome West Indian Sylvester Clarke, who cast asunder Somerset’s top order en route to figures of 5-31. In the cidermen's side for that game they only had the likes of Botham, Richards and Garner!

These days Somerset's strength is with the ball. All-rounder Lewis Gregory goes into this contest as the country’s leading wicket-taker in the County Championship (his 14 victims costing a mere 10.35 runs apiece). Craig Overton has also been in scintillating form with seven wickets at an average of 18.85, while Jack Leach spun his side to victory with figures of 6-36 in his only four-day outing to date, against Notts at Trent Bridge. With a career haul of 242 first-class wickets at 25.23 it's astonishing the 27-year-old slow left-armer has only been handed four England caps.

Somerset's batting is yet to make its mark in 2019. That said, 21-year-old George Bartlett (202 championship runs at an average of 67.33) has come to the party, as has skipper Tom Abell (180 at 60). But one senses it's only a question of time before overseas signing Azhar Ali, who is currently averaging 12.00, and James Hildreth, 13.00, get going. The wicketkeeper's spot is an interesting one. Steven Davies didn't feature in the Royal London. Instead the gloves went to Tom Banton, who proceeded to hit hundreds - against Kent (107 off 79 balls) and Worcestershire (112 in 103 deliveries).

Rikki Clarke's inclusion in the Surrey squad is a real fillip. Clarke, who hasn't played since 23 April - when he dislocated a finger in the Royal London win over Essex - has scored 1,129 runs and taken 74 wickets against the cidermen in first-class cricket. His f-c career bests with both bat and ball have also come against Somerset.

Surrey v Somerset - First-Class Records Sheet


Dean Elgar (12,909) is approaching 13,000 first-class career runs, while Ben Foakes (4,972) is even closer to 5,000. As has already been said, Somerset's Jack Leach has 242 f-c wickets, so it's quite possible his 250th will be captured over the next four days.


Scott Borthwick and Rikki Clarke - both of whom were listed as wounded in action - have been named in a 14-man Surrey squad; as have spinners Gareth Batty and Freddie van den Bergh, and seamers Conor McKerr and Stuart Meaker. Sam Curran is a notable absentee. The 20-year-old has been ordered by the ECB to sit this game out after making just nine IPL appearances for Kings XI Punjab. It's a strange decision given that Sam is unlikely to play for England before the end of July, when Test cricket makes its first appearance on the 2019 fixture list. Meanwhile, Curran senior, Liam Plunkett and Jason Roy are all on England white-ball duty.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Essex 11-14 Apr 2019 Match Drawn The Oval 395 & 324-6d 448 & 0-0
Essex 24-27 Sep 2018 Lost By 1 Wicket The Oval 67 & 541 477-8d & 134-9
Somerset 18-21 Sep 2018 Match Drawn Taunton 485 146 & 168-3
Worcestershire 10-13 Sep 2018 Won By 3 Wickets Worcester 268 & 274-7 336 & 203
Essex 4-6 Sep 2018 Won By 10 Wickets Chelmsford 351 & 2-0 126 & 226


The South African duo of Dean Elgar and Morne Morkel will be key to the outcome. The fact that Morkel was rested for Surrey’s final Royal London outing underlines the significance of this re-match. Across both championship meetings with Somerset in 2018, his wickets cost an average of just 13.75. Elgar also knows Taunton well, having been an overseas player there two seasons ago. Even though the left-hander's first-class record at the Cooper Associates County Ground is 407 runs at 33.91, in his one and only f-c knock against Somerset he made 110. With the weather forecast to be a factor on day four, much depends on what sort of wicket is served up. But Taunton tends to be a venue where ball dominates bat in Champo cricket, so here goes... (with everything crossed) I predict a much needed win for Surrey.


M.Trescothick, A.Ali, J.Hildreth, T.Abell (capt), G.Bartlett, T.Banton (wk), L.Gregory, C.Overton, J.Davey, J.Leach and J.Brooks.


Nick Cook and David Millns.

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY SOMERSET
18-21 Sep 2018 Match Drawn Taunton Surrey Bat 485 146 & 168-3
20-22 Jun 2018 Won By An Inns & 69 Runs Guildford Uncontested Field 459 180 & 210
19-22 Sep 2017 Won By 6 Wickets The Oval Somerset Bat 433 & 146-4 269 & 306
7-10 Aug 2017 Match Drawn Taunton Uncontested Field 345 436
28-30 May 2016 Lost By 1 Wicket Taunton Surrey Bat 264 & 138 102 & 301-9
24-27 Apr 2016 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 463 & 181-8d 353 & 122-4
11-14 Sep 2013 Lost By 7 Wickets Taunton Surrey Bat 195 & 197 260 & 133-3
17-20 Apr 2013 Match Drawn The Oval Somerset Bat 366-9d 384 & 251-9d
28-31 Aug 2012 Match Drawn Taunton Surrey Bat 317 & 360-5d 294
16-19 May 2012 Match Drawn The Oval Somerset Bat 388 & 239-7 512-9d & 180
12-15 Aug 2008 Match Drawn Taunton Surrey Field 406-9 401-3d
30 May - 2 Jun 2008 Lost By 8 Wickets Whitgift Sch Somerset Field 326 & 227 446 & 111-2
19-22 Jul 2006 Match Drawn Guildford Somerset Bat 717 688-8d
14-16 Jun 2006 Won By 4 Wickets Bath Surrey Field 266 & 356-6 342 & 276
3-6 Jul 2002 Match Drawn Taunton Somerset Field 608-6d & 324-5d 554 & 329-7
24-27 May 2002 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 220 & 332 253 & 45-1
23-26 Aug 2001 Match Drawn Taunton Somerset Bat 278 & 294-6 373 & 311-6d
6-9 Jun 2001 Won By 6 Wickets The Oval Somerset Bat 403 & 210-4 377 & 234
14-16 Jun 2000 Won By An Inns & 213 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 548 145 & 190
26-29 Apr 2000 Match Drawn Taunton Somerset Field 185 302-8d

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