SURREY V LANCASHIRE at the Kia Oval (SSCC1), 19-22 AUGUST 2018

Top plays host to sixth. This will be Surrey's first home game in the County Championship since June 22 and their first at the Oval since the middle of May. But now the matches come thick and fast - a potential 24 days of real cricket over the next forty.

The last time Surrey lost a four-day match falling in August was in 2013 (versus Durham at the Riverside) and not since 2001 have they experienced defeat at the Oval in August. But those games were all played in daylight, as well as with a red ball.

Lancashire have a match fewer to come compared with the two sides below them in the Division One table - Hampshire and Worcestershire, both of whom, like Lanky, have managed just one championship victory this season. Lancashire's came against Notts at Trent Bridge, thanks to Graham Onions taking 3-22 and 6-55.

In the absence of leading championship run-scorer Keaton Jennings (621 runs at an average of 44.35), skipper Liam Livingstone and Surrey-bound all-rounder Jordan Clark (who is officially "unavailable for selection" for this match), all Lancastrian eyes will be on Dane Vilas (555 runs at 42.69), who, when he goes big, goes really big - like when he made 235 not out against Somerset this season and 244 against Hampshire last summer.

Keeper-batsman Alex Davies remains consistent with the willow, but the form of Haseeb Hameed (who is averaging a meagre 8.38 in this year's County Championship), Stephen Croft (16.80) and Shiv Chanderpaul (19.09) has to be a concern for the visitors.

The compensation is a seam attack that's bang in form. Graham Onions has 37 championship wickets at 20.16 runs apiece. Joe Mennie (24 at 21.50) and Tom Bailey (34 at an average of 23.67) have been no slouches either, while Matt Parkinson (12 at 27.41) provides Lancashire's spin threat.

Surrey v Lancashire - First-Class Records Sheet

Rikki Clarke has 443 first-class wickets. Rory Burns has 918 f-c runs for the season. Meanwhile, in the opposing dressing room, Josh Bohannon, if he plays, will be making his first-class and championship debut.

Surrey will be without Scott Borthwick (out for the rest of the season with a broken wrist) and Jason Roy (facial injury). On the plus side Sam Curran, not needed by England, is available; as is Aaron Finch, who will be making his last appearance of the summer as Surrey overseas; due to Dean Elgar being inked in for the last five matches in the Champo.

With the pink ball, who knows? Many are saying it makes championship cricket a lottery. The weather doesn't look like it will be an issue, so I'll sit of the fence slightly and say whoever bats first will score the runs needed in the first two sessions to ensure victory.

A.Davies (wk), H.Hameed, R.Jones, D.Vilas (capt), S.Chanderpaul, S.Croft, M.Parkinson, J.Bohannon, J.Mennie, T.Bailey and G.Onions.

Mike Burns and Michael Gough.

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