SURREY V LANCASHIRE at the Brit Oval (LVCC1), 19-22 SEPTEMBER 2007

In the same way that Surrey's averages do not suggest they are a side with four wins in this year's championship, Lancashire's averages are not those of a team on the brink of being crowned champions for the first time since 1934.

Only two batsmen have scored over 600 runs this term - Stuart Law (1,153 championship runs at an average of 64.05) and fellow Aussie, Paul Horton. Since making back to back hundreds against Yorkshire and Hampshire in August, Horton has averaged just 32.16. He has also been caught behind a fair few times, including in his last three championship innings. Law, however, has been a rock. In 20 first-class innings this year, he has only been dismissed for less than 16 on three occasions.

The advantage Lancashire have enjoyed, though, is that virtually all of their bowlers have featured at some point. They will be without leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan on this occasion, but Glen Chapple (44 championship victims at 20.70 runs apiece) has been no slouch. Oliver Newby and slow left-armer Gary Keedy - both of whom are collecting wickets at less than thirty - have also been highly effective.

Jonathan Batty needs 80 runs to make it 1,000 first-class runs for the season two years on the trot. Mark Ramprakash is set to make his 100th f-c appearance for Surrey. For the visitors, Glen Chapple has 44 f-c wickets to date this summer and Sajid Mahmood has 98 f-c wickets in his career for Lancashire.

Ian Salisbury is the surprise inclusion in Surrey's squad, which suggests the pitch is one that will take spin. If Salisbury plays, it will be interesting to see which of the seamers - Dernbach, Jordan, Nicholson and Ormond - makes way.

Unsurprisingly, all of the pre-match build-up suggests Lancashire are really up for this game. The question is, are Surrey? The Brown Caps have avoided the drop, there's no Harbhajan, Matt Nicholson has given the appearance in recent matches that he's struggling for fitness and Jimmy Ormond is definitely some way off peak condition. The batting also worries me. Had it not been for Mark Ramprakash's 175 in the first innings, the game up at Edgbaston would not have been such a stroll. If the Brown Caps are to avoid losing twice in the same season to Lancashire for the first time in nearly fifty years, the likes of Benning and Walters have got to deliver over the next four days. The good news is that both have significantly better batting averages at the Oval.

M Chilton (capt), P Horton, S Croft, S Law, VVS Laxman, L Sutton (wk), D Cork, G Chapple, S Mahmood, O Newby and G Keedy.

Vanburn Holder and Neil Mallender.

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