TWENTY20 CUP 2007 - SOUTH GROUP PREVIEW

ESSEX
Even if Ravi Bopara recovers from his injured thigh, it is likely he will be wanted by England. So, with skipper Ronnie Irani also ruled out, the Eagles have persuaded the former Surrey captain, Adam Hollioake to make a surprise return to county action. The 35-year-old all-rounder lifted the Twenty20 Cup in the first year of the competition and guided the Brown Caps to the final in 2004 with some devastating "death" bowling. Based on one-day performances, Essex will not be short of runs. With the ball, they do not come much better than overseas duo Andy Bichel and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria. Martin Saggers has added a further option since joining Essex on loan from Kent.
Surrey clash: 28 June (Thu) at Chelmsford
Twenty20 Cup odds: 8-1
Best finish: Semi finalists (2006)
Biggest total: 196-6 v Sussex at Chelmsford 2006
Highest score: 100* by Ronnie Irani v Sussex at Hove 2006
Best bowling: 4-20 by Scott Brant v Kent at Maidstone 2004

HAMPSHIRE
At 11-1, Hampshire are a very attractive bet for this year's title. Rumours that the Hawks had tempted Brian Lara out of retirement proved wide of the mark, but in Adam Voges, a specialist one-day batsman from Western Australia, the Hawks have bolstered what is already a strong batting line-up, even when Kevin Pietersen is away on England duty. The bowling attack has the reputation for being the most miserly in county cricket, but how will it fare without Stuart Clark? Clark's absence will open the door for Greg Lamb or Billy Taylor, but the aces in the pack are Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shane Warne, who, contrary to some reports, will not be taking a mid-season break.
Surrey clash: 24 June (Sun) at the Brit Oval (2.40pm start)
Twenty20 Cup odds: 11-1
Best finish: Quarter finalists (2004)
Biggest total: 225-2 v Middlesex at the Rose Bowl 2006
Highest score: 97* by Shane Watson v Kent at the Rose Bowl 2004
Best bowling: 5-14 by Dimitri Mascarenhas v Sussex at Hove 2004

KENT
With Andrew Hall needed by South Africa, Kent have signed fellow countryman Morne Morkel, a 22-year-old fast bowling all-rounder, as Hall's replacement the Twenty20 campaign. Morkel has some big shoes to fill, especially as Hall also tops the Spitfires' one-day batting averages this season. However, the bowling looks well equipped with Yasir Arafat, who has twice taken four wickets against Surrey in the Twenty20 Cup, leading the way, with Simon Cook, Ryan McLaren and off-spinner James Tredwell completing the line-up. Kent bat a long way down, so the runs will be shared around, but the lack of a pinch-hitter could be the Spitfires' undoing.
Surrey clashes: 2 July (Mon) at Beckenham & 6 July (Fri) at the Brit Oval
Twenty20 Cup odds: 18-1
Best finish: Quarter finalists (2006)
Biggest total: 186-6 v Essex at Beckenham 2006
Highest score: 112 by Andrew Symonds v Middlesex at Maidstone 2004
Best bowling: 4-21 by James Tredwell v Middlesex at Beckenham 2006

MIDDLESEX
Having persuaded Tim Murtagh to leave Surrey, presumably with an eye on transforming their Twenty20 fortunes, Middlesex will no doubt be hoping the 25-year-old seamer's recent hamstring injury does not flare up again. Murtagh, who holds the record for the best figures in the Twenty20 Cup, has led the way with the ball in one-day cricket this summer for the Crusaders. Other than him, only Murali Kartik has posed a threat. Middlesex have never beaten Surrey in the Twenty20 Cup. If Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan do not fire, they will struggle to buck that trend. South African all-rounder Tyron Henderson has been drafted in as temporary replacement for Chaminda Vaas.
Surrey clashes: 22 June (Fri) at the Brit Oval & 3 July (Tue) at Lord's
Twenty20 Cup odds: 33-1
Best finish: Quarter finalists (2005)
Biggest total: 210-6 v Hampshire at the Rose Bowl 2005
Highest score: 85 by Ed Smith v Kent at Beckenham 2005
Best bowling: 4-18 by Johann Louw v Hampshire at Southgate 2006

SURREY
After a dismal start to the season in the County Championship and three straight defeats to round off their tilt at the Friends Provident, Surrey will welcome the distraction offered by the Twenty20 Cup. The under-used James Benning can expect to get a run in the side. If he and opening partner Alistair Brown can fire, no boundary will look too long. As the Brown Caps showed in last year's quarter-final, against Gloucestershire, even the early loss of Benning and Brown is not the end of the world when you have the likes of Ramprakash and Clarke to come in at three and four. But, the key will be the bowling. With no Murtagh to call on, the onus is on Azhar Mahmood and Nayan Doshi to come to the fore. Doshi, however, picked up just two wickets in his five FP Trophy appearances with his left-arm spin.
Twenty20 Cup odds: 8-1
Best finish: Winners (2003)
Biggest total: 224-5 v Gloucestershire at Bristol 2006
Highest score: 88 by James Benning v Kent at the Oval 2006
Best bowling: 6-24 by Tim Murtagh v Middlesex at Lord's 2005

SUSSEX
The only side never to have progressed beyond the group stage. But do not write off their chances, particularly if Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan cause havoc with the ball. Or, for that matter, Kirtley and Martin-Jenkins, who were the Sharks' leading wicket-takers in the Friends Provident. Realistically, though, Sussex are far better equipped to mount a challenge in the County Championship (they currently lie second in Division One). The Hove outfit scored just two wins in the FP Trophy, both of which were built on big scores by Goodwin and Montgomerie, who have poor Twenty20 pedigrees. Furthermore, keeper-batsman Matt Prior now looks to be a permanent fixture with England.
Surrey clashes: 29 June (Fri) at Hove & 5 July (Thu) at the Brit Oval
Twenty20 Cup odds: 18-1
Best finish: Third in South Group (2005)
Biggest total: 180-6 v Essex at Hove 2003
Highest score: 73 by Matt Prior v Essex at Hove 2006
Best bowling: 5-11 by Mushtaq Ahmed v Essex at Hove 2005.

RECORDS
Twenty20 Cup - Surrey records 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Surrey results 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Records at a glance 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career runs 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career batting average 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career strike rate 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career wickets 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career bowling average 2003-2006 
Twenty20 Cup - Career economy rate 2003-2006 

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