SURREY BROWN CAPS V GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLADIATORS at the Brit Oval (FPT), 13 MAY 2009

The weather forecast for SE11 for tomorrow looks somewhat bleak, but looking on the bright side given the form that Gloucestershire are in at the moment perhaps a no result is the best chance Surrey have of taking points off the Gladiators. Looking at the Friends Provident Group C table, though, the only way the Brown Caps are going to qualify for the last eight is if they win all four of their remaining group games.

If Gloucestershire have a weakness in one-day cricket they have not revealed it so far this season, which is why I am surprised they are not in the top three of the betting to win the Friends Provident Trophy at the time of writing. In five FPT games seven of their batsmen have made a total of 11 half-centuries, which underlines the extent to which the Gladiators bat all the way down. Leading the way is Chris Taylor, who has struck 236 runs at an average of 59.00, including three fifties. But Craig Spearman currently tops the batting with an average of 67.00.

With the ball, all four of Gloucestershire's front-line bowlers are currently going for less than 4.18 runs per over. Their leading wicket-taker is Jon Lewis, with 10 victims at 17.10 runs apiece, but the key man has been James Franklin who has taken eight wickets at an average of 12.00 and has an economy rate of 3.62. Ian Saxleby is injured for tomorrow's clash, but 24-year-old Zimbabwean, Anthony Ireland has come in and done equally as well.

Click here for the Surrey v Gloucestershire List A Records sheet at at the start of the 2009 season.


For the visitors, Jon Lewis goes into this clash with 249 List A career wickets.


Mark Ramprakash returns to the Brown Caps line-up after being rested for Sunday's visit to Hove, which, given the strength of the opposition - underlined by the margin of defeat - appeared to be a strange decision if Surrey have designs on clinching a quarter-final berth.  

OPPONENT DATE COMP RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Sussex 10 May 2009 FPT Lost By 2 Runs Hove 311-6 (50) 313-7 (50)
Yorkshire 4 May 2009 FPT Won By 63 Runs Headingley 184-7 (47) 104 (30.2)
Durham 3 May 2009 FPT Lost By 1 Run The Riverside 265-6 (50) 266-7 (50)
Gloucestershire 26 Apr 2009 FPT Lost By 128 Runs Bristol 140 (38.2) 268-9 (50)
Leicestershire 13 Sep 2008 NL Won By 33 Runs The Oval 204-5 (40) 171 (36.5)


If the weather forecast proves to be wrong and we get a match, it is hard to see anything but a Gloucestershire win. But as we have seen in Surrey's games against Durham and Sussex, I wouldn't be surprised if they were pushed close by their hosts. 


H Marshall, W Porterfield, C Spearman, C Taylor, A Gidman (capt), J Franklin, S Adshead (wk), J Lewis, A Ireland, V Banerjee and S Kirby.


Jeff Evans and John Steele.

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY GLOS
26 Apr 2009 FPT Lost By 128 Runs Bristol Surrey Field 140 (38.2) 268-9 (50)
29 Apr 2007 FPT Won By 257 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 496-4 (50) 239 (34.1)
12 Sep 2006 NL Lost By 5 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 278-6 (40) 282-5 (38.1)
24 Jul 2006 T20 Won By 80 Runs Bristol Gloucestershire Field 224-5 (20) 144 (18.5)
18 Jun 2006 C&G Lost By 2 Runs Bristol Gloucestershire Bat 337 (49.5) 339-8 (50)
17 May 2005 C&G Won By 3 Wickets Bristol Surrey Field 232-7 (49.3) 230-8 (50)
11 Jul 2004 NL Lost By 4 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 176 (43.5) 180-6 (38.1)
16 May 2004 NL Lost By 42 Runs Bristol Gloucestershire Bat 215-9 (45) 257-6 (45)
5 Aug 2003 NL Won By 66 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 297-6 (45) 231 (40)
19 Jul 2003 T20 Won By 5 Runs Trent Bridge Surrey Bat 147-9 (20) 142-6 (20)
25 May 2003 NL No Result Bristol No toss made - - -
22 Sep 2002 NL Won By 79 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 263-8 (45) 184 (39.2)
19 May 2002 NL Lost By 1 Wicket Bristol Gloucestershire Field 163-9 (45) 164-9 (43.3)
16 Sep 2001 NL Won By 36 Runs Bristol Surrey Bat 157-8 (45) 121 (42)
12 Aug 2001 NL Won By 2 Wickets The Oval Gloucestershire Bat 180-8 (40.4) 176 (40.1)
14 Jul 2001 B&H Won By 47 Runs Lord's Surrey Bat 244 (49.5) 197 (45.5)

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