SOMERSET V SURREY at Taunton (LVCC)
12-15 JUNE 2022

Somerset - currently eighth in Division One (just above Kent and Gloucestershire, who occupy the drop zone) - come into this contest having lost 8 out of their last 10 championship games, going back to the end of last season.

Surrey, meanwhile, have put a lean few years in four-day cricket behind them by topping the table. Hampshire, who lost to the Oval outfit in week two, are the team breathing down their necks, though; the gap, just three points.

Although the Cidermen have struggled for runs in the championship, skipper Tom Abell continues to lead the way with 451 at an average of 50.11, including a career best 150 not out when these two sides met at the Oval in week three.

With Matt Renshaw on international duty, the hosts do not have another batter currently averaging more than 32 in the County Championship. Indeed, opener Ben Green, who is likely to fill in for Renshaw, is only averaging eleven, while Steven Davies (16.90) and Lewis Gregory (18.33) are yet to come to the party.

The bowling looks in better shape, despite the absence of slow left-armer Jack Leach. Craig Overton (16.26) and Peter Siddle (17.80) have already bagged 46 championship wickets between them, and Josh Davey (22.37) continues to fly impressively under the radar.

The key man for Surrey would appear to be Jordan Clark, who is not only the Oval outfit's leading wicket-taker in this year's County Championship, with 21 victims at an average of 28.38, he's also averaging 45.50 with the willow.

Surrey v Somerset - First-Class Records Sheet

If 19-year-old seamer Tom Lawes plays, he'll be making his County Championship debut. Lawes enjoyed figures of 3-34 against the Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI. Hashim Amla (18,946) is closing in on 19,000 first-class career runs. Of the Somerset line-up, James Hildreth (17,915) is eyeing 18,000, while Peter Siddle (694) needs six more poles for 700 f-c career wickets. 

England calls on two fronts - red-ball and now white-ball - plus the absence of a second overseas player mean that it's a depleted-looking Surrey who travel to Taunton, where, as every Ovalite knows, they have not won a County Championship fixture since 1986. The visitors' 15-man party includes six who are yet to take the field in the Champo this summer - Ben Geddes, Tom Lawes, Conor McKerr, Dan Moriarty, Cameron Steel and Amar Virdi.

Given that a weakened Surrey's record at Taunton in four-day cricket is so woeful, I'm going to say: "Draw". But if there's any assistance for the spinners, it could play into the visitors' hands. The weather shouldn't be an issue, judging by the forecast for the coming week.

B.Green, T.Lammonby, T.Abell (capt), T.Banton, J.Hildreth, S.Davies (wk), L.Gregory, R.van der Merwe, C.Overton, J.Davey and P.Siddle.

Ben Debenham and Neil Pratt.

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