SURREY V MIDDLESEX at the Kia Oval (LVCC)
11-14 MAY 2023

The first London derby of the summer sees the joint leaders in Division One of the championship play host to fifth-placed Middlesex, who, since opening their 2023 account with defeats to Essex and Northants, have beaten Notts in a thrilling last evening run chase and Kent, who were despatched inside three days.

Gus Atkinson (6-68 and 2-37) was the positive to come out of Surrey's draw against Essex at Chelmsford in the last round, but the focus of this contest will be Atkinson’s fellow seamer Matt Dunn.

Rivalries will be put to one side as the game is dedicated to the memory of Florence Dunn, Matt’s daughter, who tragically passed away in March. Florence was just two years-old and had lived Dravet Syndrome, a form of Epilepsy, diagnosed at 11 months.

Dunn has said: “I can't thank Surrey enough because the support they showed us throughout and what they're continuing to do now is more than I could ever have asked. I will be eternally grateful to them and whatever happens in my career now is almost irrelevant because the love and the care I've had from this club is second to none.”

Matt and his family are running 5km everyday in May, raising funds and awareness for Dravet Syndrome UK – the charity that supported Florence and the family throughout her short life.

Middlesex's early season averages are a story of feast and famine - feast for the bowlers, but famine for all of the batters other than Ryan Higgins. Not only is the 28-year-old averaging 54.50 with the bat in this season’s County Championship – nearly 30 more than the North Londoners’ next best (27.00 by Luke Hollman) – he also has 12 wickets at just 20.41 runs apiece.

With the ball, Tim Murtagh (15 scalps at 14,73) continues to be one of the most consistent seamers on the circuit (what were Surrey thinking when they let him go at the end of 2006?), while Ethan Bamber (16 at 15.18) and skipper Toby Roland-Jones (15 at 19.06) have also started the campaign with a bang.

Dan Worrall, who should be as fresh as a daisy after being rested for the Essex game, could be a key man for the Oval outfit. Worrall averages 19.54 with the ball against Middlesex in first-class cricket and will go into the London derby as Surrey’s leading wicket-taker this summer (16 victims at 18.12).

Surrey v Middlesex - First-Class Records Sheet

Will Jacks (1,914) is approaching 2,000 first-class career runs, while Rory Burns (9,914) has the target of 10,000 f-c for Surrey in his sights.

As an ECB centrally contracted player, England have chosen to rest Ollie Pope for this fixture, but the hosts' 13-man squad includes Tom Lawes, Ryan Patel and Dan Worrall, none of whom featured in last week's trip to Chelmsford.

Surrey have not beaten Middlesex in four-day cricket since scraping home by 8 runs at the Oval in 2012, since when their record against their North London rivals reads: played 9, drawn 6 and lost 3. But for this clash it would seem the dice are loaded in Surrey's favour. Prediction - if the rain forecast for days one and two stays away, a win for the hosts.

M.Stoneman, S.Robson, P.Malan, S.Eskinazi, M.Holden, J.Simpson (wk), R.Higgins, L.Hollman, T.Roland-Jones (capt), E.Bamber and T.Murtagh.

Graham Lloyd and Russell Warren.

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