SURREY V DERBYSHIRE at  the Brit Oval (LVCC2), 9-12 APRIL 2010

The ECB recently granted Derbyshire permission to rotate the square at Derby, but is their long wait for silverware - currently the longest of any county - about to turn around? Not if the odds-setters are to believed, but Derbyshire are more than capable of improving on the sixth place they have made their own in recent years.

The batting looks strong. It will be led, once again, by the prolific Chris Rogers, who averages 62.84 for the county, but who ended the Sheffield Shield season down under with just two half centuries in 12 innings. Last summer saw Wayne Madsen burst on to the cricket scene in England. It will be a major surprise if the South African fails to rack up one thousand first-class runs this term. Garry Park's move away from Durham bore fruit. Greg Smith caught the eye without really cashing in and Dan Redfern gave us a glimpse of what the future may hold for the 19-year-old southpaw.

Jamie Pipe's retirement sees the wicketkeeping gloves pass to Lee Goddard, who returns to Nottingham Road following a stint at Durham as Phil Mustard's understudy. Goddard will be keeping to one of the better seam attacks in Division Two, and the arrival of Robin Peterson gives Derbyshire a viable spin threat for the first time in a while. Expect Graham Wagg and Steffan Jones to open the season by taking the new ball, with left-armer Mark Footitt, who joins from Notts, assuming more responsibility as things unfold.

Mark Ramprakash has only scored 709 in ten first-class clashes with Derbyshire, however his recent record for being quick out of the traps is phenomenal:

  • First championship innings of the season producing a century - 1997, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Andre Nel seems to like playing Derbyshire. He has 18 f-c wickets at 24.33 runs apiece against them, but his record in first-class matches at the Oval is not something to write home about - six scalps at 60.83.

Finally, it will not be lost on Surrey's supporters that the last time their side opened the new campaign against Derbyshire at the Oval, the Oval outfit won promotion back to Division One at the end of the season.


Derbyshire's Garry Park goes into this match with 1,904 first-class career runs.


The seam department have three notable absentees - Chris Jordan (back), Chris Tremlett (groin) and Rao Iftikhar Anjum (delays in obtaining a working visa). Tim Linley and Stuart Meaker therefore make Surrey's first side of the new county season. But the biggest concern for the hosts must be a lack of experience at the head of the batting order due to a "minor muscular problem" which sees Michael Brown sidelined. Arun Harinath (who confirmed to me the other day that Playfair is wrong and that he attended Tiffin School rather than Whitgift), will be partnered by Matthew Spriegel, who made an attractive 35 at Fenner's, batting at number three, last weekend.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Glamorgan 23-26 Sep 2009 Match Drawn The Oval 430 & 309-7 702-8d
Northamptonshire 9-12 Sep 2009 Match Drawn The Oval 376 & 282-9d 492
Gloucestershire 2-5 Sep 2009 Lost By An Inns & 1 Run Bristol 183 & 339 523-7d
Kent 28-31 Aug 2009 Lost By 6 Wickets Canterbury 423 & 293 517 & 200-4
Essex 19-22 Aug 2009 Lost By 9 Wickets Colchester 428 & 190 545 & 74-1


The weather looks set fair, so I can't simply trot out my customary "early season equals draw" argument. Chris Adams says he has had a word with groundsman Bill Gordon and now expects the pitches at the Brit Oval to offer pace and bounce for the seamers and to start taking spin from day three. Having witnessed six championship matches out of six end in a draw at the Oval last summer, I'll believe it when I see it - Draw.


C Rogers (capt), W Madsen, G Park, G Smith, D Redfern, R Peterson, G Wagg, L Goddard (wk), T Groenewald, S Jones and M Footitt.


Martin Bodenham and Nick Cook.

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY DERBYS
6-9 Aug 2009 Match Drawn Whitgift School Surrey Bat 362 & 320-4d 334 & 232-5
22-25 Apr 2009 Lost By 5 Wickets Derby Surrey Bat 131 & 360 274 & 220-5
20-23 Sep 2006 Won By 5 Wickets Derby Derbyshire Bat 275-8d & 273-5 385 & 162-8d
19-22 Apr 2006 Match Drawn The Oval Derbyshire Bat 308 & 476-8d 492
16-17 Aug 2000 Won By An Inns & 45 Runs The Oval Derbyshire Bat 260 118 & 97
7-9 Jun 2000 Lost By 7 Wickets Derby Surrey Bat 138 & 218 191 & 167-3
24-27 Aug 1999 Won By 9 Wickets Derby Derbyshire Field 350-9d & 1-1 154 & 196
6-8 Aug 1998 Won By 226 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 333 & 238-9d 139 & 206
7-10 May 1997 Match Drawn Derby Surrey Bat 267 158-3
30 May - 3 Jun 1996 Match Drawn The Oval Derbyshire Field 477 & 345-3d 469 & 246-9
24-26 Aug 1995 Won By 7 Wickets Derby Derbyshire Field 350 & 167-3 181 & 333
12-16 May 1994 Won By An Inns & 138 Runs The Oval Surrey Field 570-6d 208 & 224
19-21 Aug 1993 Lost By 6 Wickets Ilkeston Derbyshire Field 205 & 332 438-9d & 100-4
2-4 Jun 1992 Match Drawn The Oval Derbyshire Bat 253-9d & 69-3 249 & 244-1d
21-24 Jun 1991 Lost By 3 Wickets Derby Derbyshire Field 137 & 184-4d 80-3d & 242-7

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