SURREY V ESSEX at Guildford (LVCC2), 15-18 JULY 2009

Surrey used to be unbeatable at Guildford, but the Brown Caps have not tasted victory at Woodbridge Road in the championship since 2002 when they beat Yorkshire by 6 wickets to register their eighth four-day win on the trot there. Essex come into tomorrow's contest with an off-colour-looking batting line-up and an attack that will be looking to David Masters to do the hard yards.

Masters has taken 26 championship wickets at 18.03 runs apiece, but with Danish Kaneria missing, the next name down the list in the bowling averages is that of part-time medium pacer Graham Napier, then off-spinner James Middlebrook, who is averaging 33.62. With Tony Palladino and Tim Phillips included in Essex's 13-man squad, changes could be afoot.

The absence of Kaneria has at least allowed Essex to strengthen the batting. South Africa's Hashim Amla really came to the party against Glamorgan last week when his 181 in the second dig saved the day for the Eagles. Napier averages 52.66 thanks to three "red-inkers", but wicketkeeper James Foster is the leading run-maker at the moment with 411 from ten innings. Matt Walker hasn't exactly set the world alight since moving to Essex from Kent, but at Guildford four years' ago he made 173 for the Spitfires.   


As far as I can tell, there aren't any approaching.


With Mark Butcher clearly struggling for fitness, it looks as though Stewart Walters will captain Surrey for the first time in the County Championship. Not surprisingly, Murtaza Hussain has been dropped after turning in the second most expensive figures ever by a Brown Caps' bowler. His place could well go to 21-year-old off-spinner Simon King, while Andre Nel (hamstring) returns from injury to replace Alex Tudor. If Butcher doesn't play, his place in the batting order will go to Chris Murtagh, who will not have fond memories of Guildford after making 7 and 12 there against Durham in 2008.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Kent 10-13 Jul 2009 Match Drawn The Oval 386 & 170-3 620-7d
Middlesex 30 Jun - 1 Jul 2009 Match Drawn Lord's 392 & 99-5 385 & 246-5d
Leicestershire 16-19 Jun 2009 Match Drawn Leicester 329 165 & 487-5d
Northamptonshire 11-14 Jun 2009 Won By An Inns & 95 Runs Northampton 530 209 & 226
Glamorgan 6-9 Jun 2009 Match Drawn Cardiff 368 & 82-3d 271


If Essex win the toss, bat first and Hashim Amla cashes in, Surrey will clearly be stuck behind the eight ball. But the weather forecast for Friday suggests that this could turn into a three-day game, which, at Guildford, spells D-R-A-W.


V Chopra, J Maunders, H Amla, M Walker, M Pettini (capt), J Foster (wk), R ten Doeschate, G Napier, J Middlebrook, D Masters and C Wright.


Nigel Cowley and Mike Harris. See also The Dreaded Finger

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY ESSEX
16-18 Aug 2006 Lost By An Inns & 2 Runs Colchester Surrey Bat 330 & 198 530
31 May - 3 Jun 2006 Won By 6 Wickets Whitgift School Essex Bat 433 & 178-4 365 & 244
17-19 Sep 2003 Lost By 8 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 318 & 194 464 & 49-2
21-24 May 2003 Won By 258 Runs Chelmsford Essex Field 376 & 381-7d 252 & 247
13-16 Jun 2001 Match Drawn Ilford Surrey Bat 198 & 306 296 & 153-2
25-28 May 2001 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Bat 498 & 206-5d 300 & 312-4
14-17 May 1999 Won By 4 Wickets The Oval Essex Bat 195 & 272-6 262 & 204
11-15 Jun 1998 Match Drawn Chelmsford Essex Field 373 203 & 75-4
4-7 Jun 1997 Lost By 147 Runs The Oval Essex Bat 280 & 222 347 & 302
27 Jun - 1 Jul 1996 Match Drawn Southend Surrey Bat 476-8d & 167-2 425-9d
6-10 Jul 1995 Lost By 7 Wickets The Oval Essex Field 437 & 203 493 & 151-3
11-15 Aug 1994 Lost By An Inns & 87 Runs Colchester Essex Bat 88 & 203 378
13-17 May 1993 Match Drawn The Oval Surrey Field 330 & 178-4 418 & 153
18-20 Aug 1992 Match Drawn Colchester Essex Field 292 & 10-0 229
5-8 Jul 1991 Won By 5 Wickets The Oval Essex Bat 299 & 230-5 338-5d & 185-7d
27 Apr - 1 May 1991 Match Drawn Chelmsford Essex Field 268 211-4

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