SURREY V SOMERSET at the Kia Oval (LVCC)
21-24 APRIL 2022

Top plays host to bottom. Now who, at the start of the season, could possibly have envisaged Surrey heading Division One at this stage with perpetual bridesmaids Somerset propping it up?

Although the visitors have started with back-to-back championship losses, they came close to pulling off an incredible victory against Essex, who, needing just 84 to win, scraped home with their last two batters at the crease last Saturday to triumph by one wicket. Meanwhile, Surrey deposed the early leaders Hampshire, who were dismantled inside three days by an innings and 17 runs.

This match pits Overton against Overton. Surrey's Jamie now looks the real deal. Since swapping Taunton for South London at the end of 2020, it has taken a while to prove his strongest suit is with the ball. But Jamie's 5-54 and 3-53 against Hampshire was top drawer.

Twin brother Craig was Somerset's leading wicket-taker in last year's championship, and, in one outing so far, has already bagged 13 at a miserly 6.69 runs apiece, giving a nudge to those England selectors who probably feel he didn't quite cut the mustard in the recent Test series in the Caribbean. With Australia's Peter Siddle (7 wickets at 19.00), the Cidermen are certainly capable of making early inroads.

One glance at Somerset's batting averages after two games suggests the visitors cannot allow Surrey to notch up a third successive 400-plus first innings total. Only James Hildreth (112 championship runs at an average of 28.00) and Steven Davies have so far managed a fifty.

Surrey v Somerset - First-Class Records Sheet

Hashim Amla (18,878) is on course for 19,000 first-class runs, if not in this match, then at Bristol. Rory Burns (10,875) is a similar distance away from notching up his 11,000th f-c run. Ben Foakes (298) needs just 2 more dismissals for 300 in first-class as a fielder and wicketkeeper. Jamie Overton (193) is closing in on a 200th f-c wicket. Meanwhile, in the Somerset camp, Tom Abell (4,985) is close to posting 5,000 first-class runs. James Hildreth (17,856) is eyeing 18,000, Tom Lammonby (944) one thousand and Craig Overton (2,945) a 3,000th. Finally, Peter Siddle looks set to make his 200th f-c appearance.

Surrey welcome back Sam Curran from injury and the likelihood is he will replace Kemar Roach, whose stint as the South Londoners' overseas bowler came to a premature end last Friday, when he suffered a torn hamstring early in Hampshire's first dig. Reece Topley, rested for the Hampshire clash, could also return - but given the performance of Surrey's bowling group in Roach's absence, the question is who drops out?

Surrey haven't lost a four-day game to Somerset at the Oval since June 1995 (thanks to Peter Bowler's 132 not out batting last), and I don't see them losing this one given the Cidermen's lack of form with the bat. The championship runners-up in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are still to put 200 on the board this season.

B.Green, T.Lammonby, M.Renshaw, J.Hildreth, T.Abell (capt), S.Davies (wk), L.Gregory, R van der Merwe, C.Overton, P.Siddle and J.Leach.

Paul Pollard and Martin Saggers.

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