SURREY LIONS V GLAMORGAN DRAGONS at the Brit Oval (TSL1), 25 APRIL 2004

Surrey are in need of a confidence boosting win, so the good news is that they have beaten tomorrow's visitors to the Brit Oval, Glamorgan, on their last four one-day trips to the capital.  Also, the South Londoners have not lost to the Welshmen since the two sides met in the B&H Cup semi-final of 2000.  But, curiously, the last nine contests have gone to the side batting first.

The bad news is that Surrey are odds-on favourites, as indeed they were going into both of their opening two championship contests with Sussex and Middlesex!  Maybe the odds-setters have looked at the way the Dragons ended last season in the National League - only one win (and that was by a solitary run) out of their last four.

As just one 250-run plus innings last campaign suggests, Glamorgan rely heavily on their bowlers, particularly Michael Kasprowicz, Alex Wharf and Robert Croft, to knock over a few wickets.  With the bat Matt Elliott, Matthew Maynard and Michael Powell are the most obvious dangers, but Croft and Hemp are capable of taking any attack apart - as both demonstrated in the runfest to end all runfests at the Oval in the C&G Trophy two years ago.

Approaching milestones - Jimmy Ormond has played 99 career one-day matches.

Dare I even make one?  If I back the visitors I will be labelled a "doom and gloom" merchant (but I probably wouldn't be alone judging by the long faces I saw on the Surrey supporters at Lord's); and if I say that the Lions can scent victory, my success rate for the season could still be zip come 7.00pm tomorrow.  The heart and the head says Surrey win, but if they lose it has nothing to do with me - right.

Like Glamorgan, the home side will almost certainly keep the same eleven as played in the championship match just ended, and simply tinker with the batting order.

R Croft (capt), M Elliott, M Powell, M Maynard, D Hemp, A Dale, M Wallace (wk), D Thomas, M Kasprowicz, A Wharf and D Harrison.

14 Sep 2003	NL	Won By 8 Runs	Cardiff
17 Aug 2003	NL	Won By 58 Runs	Whitgift School
18 Jun 2002	C&G	Won By 9 Runs	The Oval
16 Jul 2000	NL	Won By 67 Runs	The Oval
27-28 May 2000	B&H	Lost By 32 Runs	Cardiff
30 Apr 2000	NL	Won By 10 Runs	Cardiff
25 Jul 1999	NL	Lost By 71 Runs	Pontypridd
19 Jun 1999	NL	Won By 143 Runs	The Oval
5 Jul 1998	NL	Lost By 107 Runs	Swansea
7 Sep 1997	NL	Won By 2 Wickets	The Oval
15 Sep 1996	NL	Won By 7 Wickets	Cardiff
25 Jun 1995	NL	Lost By 9 Wickets	The Oval
27 Jul 1994	NWT	Won By 5 Wickets	Swansea
5 Jun 1994	NL	No Result	Swansea
10 May 1994	B&H	Won By 3 Wickets	The Oval
13 Jun 1993	NL	Lost By 10 Wickets	The Oval
5 Jul 1992	NL	Won By 7 Wickets	Llanelli
24 Jun 1992	NWT	Lost By 4 Wickets	Swansea
28 Jul 1991	NL	Lost By 3 Runs	The Oval
1 Jul 1990	NL	Lost By 8 Wickets	Cardiff

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