SURREY BROWN CAPS V YORKSHIRE PHOENIX at the Brit Oval (Pro 40 League 2), 27 AUGUST 2006

With three losses out of five so far in the Pro40 League, Yorkshire would appear to have come along at just the right time for Surrey. Due to last Wednesday's washout against Hampshire, the Brown Caps have not played competitively for over a week and could do with a boost after their disappointing Twenty20 Cup exit, not to mention the hiding they copped from Essex in the County Championship.

But scratch between the surface and one finds that the Phoenix are not a side which can be taken lightly. Their skipper, the former England all-rounder Craig White, along with brother-in-law Darren Lehmann have been in supreme one-day batting form this summer. White is currently averaging 51.88, while Lehmann - the veteran of 27 Tests for Australia - has so far hit 444 runs at an average of 74.00 in List A cricket for Yorkshire. Anthony McGrath and Michael Lumb lead the support cast, but with Matthew Wood having a season to forget, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah will get another chance to prove themselves.

The bowling has been a major headache for the Phoenix this summer. With just a month of the season to go, they are still waiting for someone to notch up ten wickets in one-day cricket. With Jason Gillespie attending the Australians' pre-Ashes boot camp and Tim Bresnan injured, tomorrow's visitors to the Brit Oval will only have two experienced front-line bowlers on show - Deon Kruis and the former England off-spinner Richard Dawson.

Making up Yorkshire's attack will be Lehmann, who gives nothing away with his slow left-arm, 21-year-old Nick Thornicroft, who claimed 3-35 in last Tuesday's floodlit contest against Worcestershire, and 22-year-old Steven Patterson, for whom this appears to be a make or break year. If the need for additional spin is an option, though, teenage sensation Adil Rashid might make his one-day debut for the Phoenix. 

Alistair Brown will be making his 350th appearance in List A cricket. Rikki Clarke is going into his 100th List A career game; as is Yorkshire's Richard Dawson.

Due to Ian Salisbury's knee injury, the former Lancashire and England leg-spinner Chris Schofield has been added to the Brown Caps' squad of twelve. The final decision as to whether he or Mohammad Akram plays will be made tomorrow morning. The news on Jimmy Ormond's return is encouraging in one sense, but not another. Ormond is over his injured bicep, but, by all accounts, looks woefully out of shape. One wonders how Jimmy's attitude to training might affect his chances of being awarded a new contract? 

Even though Surrey have won three out of the last four National League meetings between these two sides, the reality is that the Brown Caps will not have had any competitive cricket for over a week prior to this contest plus they have lost the services of Anil Kumble. To cut a long story short, expect Mark Butcher's men to look undercooked.

C White (capt), A McGrath, M Lumb, D Lehmann, A Gale, G Brophy (wk), R Pyrah, R Dawson, S Patterson, N Thornicroft and G Kruis.

John Holder and Allan Jones.

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