SURREY LIONS V KENT SPITFIRES at the Brit Oval (TSL2), 22 AUGUST 2005

Lions skipper Mark Butcher still believes that his side stand an outside chance of promotion. Perhaps he should concentrate on how Surrey are going to preserve their top flight status in the Frizzell County Championship. Even if they do win their tenth one-day clash in eleven against Kent tomorrow night, the odds will still be stacked heavily against them performing a Houdini act in the totesport League. Since the introduction of two divisions in the National League in 1999, only one side has ever lost seven times and gone up (the Hampshire Hawks in 2003).

Whilst it's gratifying, whenever I look at the Division Two table and see Kent one off the bottom, I can't help rubbing my eyes. Lord knows what the Canterbury faithful make of it all. One suspects that even if the hop county clinches the championship, there will still be questions raised by the Kent membership as to the Spitfires' form in one-day cricket come the end of the season.

The Kent Spitfires have not played a 45-over game since losing to a depleted Surrey Lions line-up by five wickets at Canterbury two weeks ago, which gives the banged-up hosts some hope as far as tomorrow night is concerned. Mind you, they will also need to hope that the weather forecast turns out to be overly pessimistic.

The dangers from Surrey's perspective are Martin van Jaarsveld (466 runs at an average of 35.84), who leads the way with the bat this season in List A cricket. When he comes off, Darren Stevens has been virtually impossible to contain, but, with five one-day half-centuries to his name this term, skipper Matt Walker has been the Spitfires' most reliable performer with the willow.

With 23-year-old seamer Robbie Joseph impressing of late, the key to Kent's chances now appear to lie with the ball. There has been little to choose between Saggers, Hall and Stevens this summer, but Simon Cook (20 wickets at an average of 24.40 runs apiece) has tended to be the partnership-breaker looking at the totesport League and the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy as one. Off-spinner James Tredwell appears to be of the cusp of Kent's first choice limited-overs eleven, but his cameos with the bat might see him included.


Looking at the weather forecast it seems there is little point in me making one. But, at this stage of the season, it often seems an advantage to win the toss and bat first. That said, Surrey's record in terms of chasing under lights in the National League is mightily impressive - they have chased down successfully in six out of their last seven attempts (only Old Trafford last year goes down as a recent failure). However, I don't see how they can keep that sort of run going if they did bowl first against Kent.


Azhar Mahmood (forehead) and Tim Murtagh (hamstring) are both expected to play despite sustaining injuries in last week's championship clash against Gloucestershire. The only alterations the home side look set to make to that line-up (given the injury status of Bicknell, Clarke and Ormond) is James Benning for Scott Newman at the top of the order and Neil Saker for Mohammad Akram in attack.


A Hall, R Key, M van Jaarsveld, M Walker (capt), D Stevens, J Kemp, N O'Brien (wk), S Cook, R Ferley, R Joseph and M Saggers.

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY KENT
7 Aug 2005 NL Won By 5 Wickets Canterbury Kent Bat 212-5 (41.2) 211 (45)
1 Jul 2005 T20 Won By 23 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 167-6 (15) 144-8 (15)
22 Jun 2005 T20 Won By 7 Wickets Beckenham Kent Bat 141-3 (16) 140-8 (20)
18 Jul 2004 NL Won By 4 Wickets Canterbury Surrey Field 193-6 (33.4) 192-8 (34)
9 Jul 2004 T20 Won By 3 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 185-7 (20) 182-9 (20)
13 Jun 2004 NL Lost By 5 Wickets The Oval Kent Field 230-8 (45) 234-5 (43.5)
3 Sep 2003 NL Won By 5 Wickets Canterbury Kent Bat 143-5 (37) 142 (31.4)
23 Jun 2003 T20 Won By 18 Runs Canterbury Kent Field 186-8 (20) 168-9 (20)
18 May 2003 NL Won By 6 Runs The Oval Kent Field 322-7 (45) 316-7 (45)
4 May 2002 B&H Won By 44 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 257-9 (50) 213 (45.3)
14 Aug 2001 NL Lost By 43 Runs Canterbury Kent Bat 164 (38.1) 207 (42)
24 Jun 2001 NL Lost By 2 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 154 (44.2) 158-8 (39.3)
7 May 2001 B&H Lost By 1 Run Canterbury Kent Bat 264 (49.1) 265-9 (50)
16 Apr 2000 B&H No Result The Oval No toss made - - -
6 Sep 1998 NL Won By 41 Runs The Oval Kent Field 183-8 (40) 142 (33.3)
6 May 1998 B&H Won By 4 Wickets Canterbury Surrey Field 261-6 (47) 260-9 (50)
12 Jul 1997 B&H Won By 8 Wickets Lord's Kent Bat 215-2 (45) 212-9 (50)
4 May 1997 NL Lost By 12 Runs Canterbury Surrey Field 181-8 (25) 193-8 (25)
28 Apr 1997 B&H Lost By 4 Wickets The Oval Kent Field 257 (49.5) 262-6 (50)
12 May 1996 NL Won By 150 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 307-5 (40) 157 (26.5)
6 Aug 1995 NL Lost By 55 Runs Canterbury Kent Bat 246 (39) 301-7 (40)
25 Apr 1995 B&H Lost By 93 Runs Canterbury Kent Bat 225-7 (55) 318-8 (55)

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