SURREY V DURHAM at the Kia Oval (VCC)
17-20 SEPTEMBER 2024

The leaders play host to fifth. In the space of a fortnight, Surrey's grip on Division One has been loosened from 35 points to just eight with Somerset winning twice; including their clash with the Oval outfit, who were skittled out for a mere 109 on the final day at Taunton. Durham also suffered at the hands of Somerset's spinners, either side of which they have added to Nottinghamshire and Lancashire's woes.

One name jumps out of Durham's 2024 championship averages - David Bedingham, who has so far amassed 1,205 runs at an average of 86.07, including 6 centuries. Alex Lees (740 at 43.52) has continued to be as consistent as anyone in the country at the top of the order, while wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson (835 at 55.66) has gone from strength to strength with the bat since parting company with Kent a couple of years ago. Colin Ackermann, Matty Potts and Ben Raine make for a very useful middle to lower order, but one to keep an eye on over the next few years is 19-year-old opener Ben McKinney.

The aforementioned Potts and Raine are currently Durham's leading wicket-takers in the Champo with 33 at 25.39 and 31 at 29.71 respectively. Although slow left-armer Calum Parkinson isn't far behind with 27 victims, but his have come at an eye-watering average cost of 53.07. However, Matty Potts is in the England squad for the ODI series against the Aussies, as is fellow seamer Brydon Carse, while Ben Raine is on paternity leave, which could well open the door for 19-year-old seamer Dan Hogg, who has taken 10 wickets in his two championship outings this summer.

Surrey v Durham - First-Class Records Sheet

Rory Burns is set to make his 200th first-class appearance, Tom Curran (197) needs three more wickets for 200 in f-c cricket. For Durham, Emilo Gay (2,845), who will be making his debut for the county, is approaching 3,000 first-class runs; and, if they play, Mitchell Killeen and James Minto will be making their first-class debuts. Rory Burns (989) needs 11 more runs to reach 1,000 in f-c for the season, Dan Worrall (44) is 6 wickets away from 50 in f-c this term and Emilio Gay (919) also has a 1,000th first-class run for the season in his sights.

Gus Atkinson is sidelined with a thigh injury while Will Jacks, Jamie Smith and Reece Topley are in England's ODI squad. However, Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence are available again following England duty.

The forecast is for the next four days to be largely dry. Surrey's red-ball record at the Oval is impressive to say the least - just one defeat and 18 wins from their last 28 championship fixtures in South London. While their last victory over Durham in SE11 was in July 2007, Durham have only visited the Oval three times since, including in 2012 when not a ball was bowled over the four days. Prediction - the Durham side is packed with batting, so, again, call me pessimistic, but I'm going to say draw.

A.Lees (capt), B.McKinney, E.Gay, D.Bedingham, O.Robinson (wk), C.Ackermann, B.de Leede, S.McAlindon, D.Hogg, C.Parkinson and C.Holder.

Ben Debenham and Nigel Llong.

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