SURREY V MIDDLESEX at the Kia Oval (Royal London One-Day Cup), 5 MAY 2017

Fifth in the South Group plays host to third. While Surrey appear to be favoured by the bookies for this one, no one can be anything but impressed with the way Middlesex disposed of Hampshire down at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Other than Steve Finn and Toby Roland-Jones, the north Londoners have struggled to take wickets this season in both the County Championship and the Royal London. But, when you've got Roland-Jones turning in an opening spell of 7-2-10-4, you're almost certainly going to win more one-day games than they lose.

If it feels strange to be heading into a List A London derby at the Kia Oval, it's probably because tomorrow's one-day clash will be only Surrey's second against Middlesex at the Oval since 2001. In 2007 the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled. A year later, Andrew Strauss took full advantage of Chris Lewis's decision to come out of retirement, by hitting 163 to tee-up a 58-run Middlesex victory.

Since the return of the 50-over game to county cricket in 2014, Middlesex have not finished higher than 6th in their group, which is somewhat surprising given the tools at their disposal. Even though Dawid Malan is yet to make his mark on this season's Royal London, the north Londoners' batting - at the centre of which are Nick Gubbins (130 runs at an average of 43.33) and overseas player Adam Voges (165 at 55.00) - looks more than capable of proving a test for Surrey's attack.

With the ball, Roland-Jones (6 wickets at 9.33 runs apiece) needs to be seen off in the hope of making up the runs against the likes of James Fuller, Ryan Higgins, spinner Ravi Patel and all-rounder James Franklin. These days the latter is just as much of a threat as a quick-scoring batsman as he is with the ball. Few batters succeed in getting after his left-arm seam. In the last three years, he averages just over 25 runs per victim in one-day cricket and invariably concedes less than five an over.

Surrey v Middlesex - List A Records Sheet


Middlesex's John Simpson is two away from reaching 1,000 List A career runs.


Yet again, Surrey named the same 13-man one-day squad. On this occasion, will they be tempted, with Rory Burns averaging 19.00 and Dom Sibley 21.33, to freshen up the batting by activating reserve keeper-batsman Ollie Pope?

OPPONENT DATE COMP RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Essex 2 May 2017 RLC Lost By 1 Wicket The Oval 210 (47.4) 212-9 (49.2)
Glamorgan 30 Apr 2017 RLC Won By 8 Wickets Cardiff 183-2 (24) 239 (48.3)
Somerset 28 Apr 2017 RLC Lost By 4 Wickets Taunton 290-8 (50) 291-6 (43.5)
Warwickshire 17 Sep 2016 RLC Lost By 8 Wickets Lord's 136 (40.1) 137-2 (30.2)
Yorkshire 28 Aug 2016 RLC Won By 19 Runs Headingley 255-7 (50) 236 (48.5)


All three of Surrey's Royal London games to date have been won by the side batting second. That said, 8 out of the last ten List A contests at the Oval have been won by the team posting a total. The key to the clash will be whether the hosts' top order can make amends for Tuesday by coming to the party against the likes of Roland-Jones, Helm and Fuller. Prediction - like against Essex, another entertaining finish, but with Surrey emerging victors on this occasion.


N.Gubbins, D.Malan, S.Robson, A.Voges, J.Simpson (wk), J.Franklin (capt), R.Higgins, T.Roland-Jones, J.Fuller, T.Helm and R.Patel.


Steve Garratt and Ian Gould.

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY MIDDX
2 Aug 2016 RLC Won By 5 Wickets Lord's Surrey Field 105-5 (15.2) 101-8 (16)
31 Jul 2014 RLC Lost By 6 Wickets Lord's Surrey Bat 286-6 (50) 292-4 (44.5)
19 Jul 2009 NL Lost By 9 Wickets Guildford Middlesex Field 213-7 (40) 217-1 (35.1)
4 May 2008 FPT Won By 5 Wickets Lord's Middlesex Bat 236-5 (47) 233-8 (50)
20 Apr 2008 FPT Lost By 58 Runs The Oval Surrey Field 248 (43) 315-6 (50)
5 Aug 2007 NL Lost By 6 Wickets Lord's Surrey Bat 238-8 (40) 239-4 (38.2)
13 May 2007 FPT No Result The Oval No toss made - - -
11 Jun 2006 C&G Lost By 108 Runs Southgate Middlesex Bat 149 (33.4) 257-9 (50)
6 Aug 2002 NL Lost By 65 Runs Whitgift Sch Surrey Field 209 (38.1) 274-8 (45)
7 Jul 2002 NL Won By 8 Wickets Southgate Surrey Field 197-2 (40.2) 194-8 (42)
28 Apr 2002 B&H Lost By 8 Wickets Lord's Middlesex Field 123 (38) 124-2 (30.2)
1 May 2001 B&H No Result The Oval Middlesex Field 146-2 (35) -
6 Aug 2000 NL Won By 5 Wickets Lord's Middlesex Bat 170-5 (39.1) 167-8 (45)
21 May 2000 NL No Result The Oval No toss made - - -
21 Apr 2000 B&H No Result Southgate No toss made - - -
7 Sep 1999 NL Won By 69 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 243-5 (45) 174 (41.2)
31 Aug 1999 NL Match Tied Lord's Middlesex Bat 252-9 (45) 252-5 (45)
19 Jul 1998 NL Won By 1 Run Guildford Middlesex Field 223-9 (40) 222 (40)
3 Aug 1997 NL No Result Lord's Surrey Bat 74-7 (23) -
7 Jul 1996 NL Won By 8 Wickets The Oval Surrey Field 132-2 (28.4) 131 (33.2)

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