SURREY V ESSEX at the Kia Oval (LVCC)
19-22 JULY 2022

Top of Division One plays host to fourth. Surrey, whose first three victories were all chalked up at the Oval, come into this contest having won two out of three on the road - the most recent of which, against Yorkshire at Scarborough, was sealed, despite an abundance of runs (1,484 to be precise) over four days, with just three balls to spare.

But one could argue that, right now, Essex are the form side, following three successive victories - away to Lancashire and at home to Hampshire and Gloucestershire.

It's no surprise that this purple patch has coincided with off-spinner Simon Harmer taking 34 wickets at 14.02 runs apiece. Only Toby Roland-Jones, of Middlesex, has bagged more victims this season's County Championship.

In terms of Division One, only Hampshire's Keith Barker (38) and Warwickshire's Oliver Hannon-Dalby (35) are close to challenging Harmer's tally of 40 wickets at an average of 20.87.

The presence of Harmer has also given Matt Critchley - who swapped Derby for Chelmsford last winter - the chance to operate in tandem with a fellow spinner for, perhaps, the first time in his career.

With the new ball, Jamie Porter's injury problems have been more than alleviated by Sam Cook and Shane Snater, whose career averages in first-class cricket both continue to hover, impressively, around the 20-mark.

But you can see where all this is leading... Essex's issues in the championship, when they have reared their ugly head (four wins have been offset by three defeats), can be traced back to insufficient runs.

Other than Sir Alastair Cook (658 at an average of 50.61 this term), the greatly under-rated Paul Walter (305 at 43.57) and skipper Tom Westley no one is currently averaging over thirty with the willow for them.

Surrey have no such problems - Hashim Amla (36.54) is 14th in the Oval outfit's batting averages

Still, Dan Lawrence has happy memories of the Oval, where he made 161 in 2015, in only his second game as a professional.

But if the 25-year-old is to break back into the England team, he'll need to dip his bread more often. This summer, Lawrence's only championship innings of any note for Essex is the 120 he scored against Lancashire a couple of months ago.

Surrey v Essex - First-Class Records Sheet

Ollie Pope (4,914) is closing in on a 5,000th first-class career run, while, with the ball, Essex's Simon Harmer (796) and Jamie Porter (397) are approaching 800 and 400 f-c wickets respectively.

Kemar Roach returns as Surrey's second overseas, following Aaron Hardie's brief stint in the Blast and at Scarborough in the County Championship; where, it has to be said, the Australian was significantly more influential than his scores of 46 and 40 not out might otherwise suggest. Ollie Pope is another returnee. With Jamie Smith struck down by illness, Pope for Smith is likely to be the only other change to the eleven that clinched victory in dramatic fashion over Yorkshire last week.

Surrey haven't beaten Essex at the Oval in four-day cricket since 1999, and if the rain forecast to make an appearance on days two and four materialises, that's unlikely to change. Even though Simon Harmer is on fire for Essex and Ollie Pope at the Oval invariably equals bags of runs for the hosts, I'm saying: "Draw."

N.Browne, A.Cook, T.Westley (capt), D.Lawrence, P.Walter, M.Critchley, A.Rossington (wk), S.Harmer, S.Snater, S.Cook and J.Porter.

Peter Hartley and Russell Warren.

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