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If they are to hold on to their top flight status in the County Championship, Surrey must beat the side they have not managed to turn over since July 1998; as well as score one more bonus point in the process. Since '98 these two local adversaries have fought out five draws in six contests, and with the weather forecast appearing to be less than reliable for the first three days, the clever money must be on yet another impasse being reached. In short it isn't looking good, folks. As I write my last game preview of the 2005 campaign, it seems almost hard to believe that back in April the odds-setters were saying that Surrey would be one of the contenders in this year's competition. Indeed, I even tipped them to win it, which has turned out to be the kiss of death in recent times. Next year, merely out of spite, I might just plumb for Kent! And, so, let's look on the bright side - if Surrey do go down at least it means we won't have to spend four days at C*nterbury in 2006. For all of Surrey's deficiencies with the ball this term, at least they haven't drafted in a cast of has-beens to augment their attack in the way Middlesex have, firstly by giving Peter Trego another chance in county cricket, then doing likewise for ex-Derbyshire quick Mohammad Ali. To be fair, though, Alan Richardson (57 championship wickets at 24.17 runs apiece) has been a revelation since joining the North London outfit from Warwickshire; and Yogesh Golwalker has the credentials to suggest it may not be in Surrey's interests to produce a pitch that takes spin. Middlesex's main strength lies in their batting. Owais Shah (1,578 runs at an average of 65.75) and Ed Joyce have both looked impressive this summer and, though I hate to agree with John Emburey, I think the England selectors have shown just how out of touch they are in preferring Paul Collingwood and Alex Loudon to Shah in terms of the party to tour Pakistan. Let's hope that the stylish 26-year-old doesn't feel the need to prove a point in this match, otherwise there will be no way of stopping Middlesex from scoring maximum bonus points. With rumours abound that Surrey are set to name Steve Rixon's successor in the morning, one can only hope that 21 September 2005 will be regarded as the dawning of a new era in SE11. Unlike Rixon, little will be expected of the new man with Surrey in Div Two and armed with a squad that is some way off from being rebuilt or reunited.
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