SURREY V
WORCESTERSHIRE at the Kia Oval (LVCC1), 19-22 APRIL 2012
Surrey head into only their
third championship meeting with Worcestershire in five seasons with
a record of played two, won one and lost one, while the New Road
outfit, who sat out the last round of matches, have suffered one
loss, to Nottinghamshire.
Last summer, Worcestershire's
achilles heel was their batting. Just three players recorded
championship hundreds - Moeen Ali, Alex Kervezee and Vikram Solanki,
who was the only one to exceed 1,000 championship runs last term. It
came as no surprise, therefore, when they were skittled out for 130
in their first dig of the new campaign. But it was a different story
in the second innings. Daryl Mitchell made 102 and, while in tandem
with Ali, who hit 94, it looked as though Worcestershire might pull
off a shock.
Allowing Notts to make 403
second time around proved to be the Pears' undoing. Other than Alan
Richardson, who returned figures of 32-6-95-5, the Worcestershire
attack failed to repeat their first innings exploits, in particular
Richard Jones, who bagged 6-32 on the opening day at Trent Bridge.
The 25-year-old struggled for fitness in 2011, so, with Gareth
Andrew ruled out because of a knee injury, Worcestershire will be
hoping Jones can bounce back from conceding 79 in sixteen overs for
no reward.
Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker currently have
192 and 95 first-class wickets respectively. It may have taken him
140 appearances, but Worcestershire's Alan Richardson is now within
touching distance of 1,000 f-c career runs. Meanwhile, the Pears'
left-arm seamer David Lucas is eyeing up 250 first-class scalps. He
currently has 243.
Jacques Rudolph misses Worcestershire's first championship visit to
the Oval since 2006 for family reasons, consequently Jason Roy is
likely to be given his first outing of the season. Will he fill
Rudolph's spot at the top of the order? I doubt it. One candidate is
Chris Jordan, but he looked low on confidence at Lord's and seems to
be in line to make way for Stuart Meaker, who was rested for the
all-London derby.
OPPONENT |
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
SURREY |
OPPONENT |
Middlesex |
12-15 Apr 2012 |
Lost By 3 Runs |
Lord's |
222 & 137 |
256 & 106 |
Sussex |
5-8 Apr 2012 |
Won By 86 Runs |
The Oval |
264 & 273 |
196 & 255 |
Derbyshire |
12-14 Sep 2011 |
Won By An Inns & 126 Runs |
The Oval |
468 |
190 & 152 |
Essex |
7-10 Sep 2011 |
Won By 109 Runs |
Chelmsford |
315 & 286 |
253 & 239 |
Northamptonshire |
31 Aug - 3 Sep 2011 |
Won By 333 Runs |
Northampton |
269 & 410-6d |
194 & 152 |
I keep predicting draws on the basis of the weather prospects, only
for the rain to stay away. But the forecast for the next four days
suggests we can expect no more than the equivalent of two days'
play. They've got to be right eventually, so, I'm sitting on the
fence once again in the hope that it results in "a ridge of high
pressure coming in from the south."
D Mitchell (capt), M
Klinger, V Solanki, M Ali, A Kervezee, J Cameron, B Scott (wk), S
Choudhry, D Lucas, R Jones and A Richardson.
Jeff Evans and Nigel Llong.
DATE |
RESULT |
VENUE |
TOSS |
DECISION |
SURREY |
WORCS |
16-19 Aug 2010 |
Lost By 238 Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
259 & 130 |
308 & 319 |
21-24 Apr 2010 |
Match Drawn |
Whitgift School |
Surrey |
Bat |
493 & 239-8d |
465 & 170-8 |
25-28 Jul 2007 |
Match Drawn |
Guildford |
Surrey |
Bat |
369 |
217 & 307-5 |
6-9 Jun 2007 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
370 & 281-9 |
701-6d |
8-10 Aug 2006 |
Won By An Inns & 107 Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
576 |
304 & 165 |
17-20 May 2006 |
Lost By 2 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
501-7d & 136-3d |
353-9d & 287-8 |
3-6 Aug 2004 |
Won By 68 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
375 & 329-5d |
295 & 341 |
23-26 Jun 2004 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Field |
155 & 187-8 |
400-4d |
20-23 Apr 1999 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Field |
223 |
15-1 |
3-6 Jun 1998 |
Won By 79 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Bat |
502-7d & 130-4d |
367 & 186 |
18-21 Jun 1997 |
Match Drawn |
Worcester |
Surrey |
Bat |
452-9d |
81-1 |
19-22 Sep 1996 |
Lost By 124 Runs |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
Forfeited & 299 |
362 & 61-1d |
1-5 Jun 1995 |
Lost By 134 Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
183 & 152 |
204 & 265-7d |
28 Apr - 1 May 1994 |
Won By 9 Wickets |
The Oval |
Surrey |
Field |
470 & 79-1 |
205 & 343 |
12-16 Aug 1993 |
Lost By 65 Runs |
Worcester |
Worcs |
Bat |
427 & 227 |
406 & 313-9d |
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