SURREY V MIDDLESEX at the Brit Oval (LVCC2), 6-9 MAY 2009

I thought it felt strange - Surrey versus Middlesex at the Oval. The analysis at the bottom of the page bears me out, for these two sides have only played each other in SE11 a couple of times since 1996 in the champo. So, the question is, what will the Middlesex attack make of the normally batsman-friendly home of Surrey cricket? Well, based on the fact that they were held to a draw by Leicestershire at Southgate the other day, after getting into a winning position, perhaps the Brown Caps have something of an edge going into this contest.

As was the case in 2008, the North Londoners are reliant on what Tim Murtagh produces with the ball. In Middlesex's opening two championship games Murtagh has taken ten wickets at 28.40 runs apiece. By way of contrast Alan Richardson is currently averaging 75.33 per wicket, Danny Evans 63.33, Steve Finn 54.33 and Shaun Udal 43.33. Not good.

The key to Surrey unlocking their opponents over the next four days would therefore appear to be keeping Middlesex to a sub-300-run total in the first innings. That might be easier than it sounds given the starts Phil Hughes, Eoin Morgan and Dawid Malan have made to the 2009 campaign with the bat. Much was expected of Hughes, who is filling in for Murali Kartik as Middlesex's early season overseas player, and the 20-year-old left-hander has not disappointed - hitting 118, 65 not out and 139 so far in the championship and 74, 23 and 5 in one-day cricket. 

Jade Dernbach, with 46, needs four more wickets for fifty first-class career victims. Chris Schofield is closer to a landmark, though. He currently has 199 f-c wickets to his name. For Middlesex, Tim Murtagh's career haul is 192 f-c wickets.

Mark Butcher hasn't won his battle to be fit for this fixture, so Michael Brown will lead the Brown Caps, who have drafted Stuart Meaker into their squad. Last week Meaker took 4-28 and 4-16 in the Second XI Championship victory over Sussex.

Having given Surrey little chance ahead of their FPT trip to Leeds, only to be made to look like the supreme pessimist, the boys should go into this game feeling pretty confident; especially as MIddlesex are coming off an embarrassing one-day defeat at the hands of Somerset. The weather forecast for the next four days suggests we'll get a proper match and the Brown Caps have the psychological edge. Mark Ramprakash averages 100.42 against his former employers, so, go on then - Surrey win!

B Godleman, P Hughes, N Dexter, E Morgan, D Malan, B Scott (wk), G Berg, S Udal (capt), T Murtagh, S Finn and D Evans.

Jeff Evans and David Millns. See also The Dreaded Finger

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