PREVIEW: FRIENDS PROVIDENT T20 - SOUTH GROUP by Marcus Hook

ESSEX
There is no telling how Essex will fair in this summer's Twenty20. If they can get it together with the bat, the Eagles could fly high, but, equally, it would be no surprise to see them fail to reach the last eight. With Alistair Cook, one of the stars of last year's T20, unlikely to feature due to his England commitments, Mark Pettini will be looking to Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier to start making some runs again. As impressive as Grant Flower, James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate are as a five, six and seven, Essex really need batsmen who can exploit the fielding restrictions early on. The bowling is less of a concern. Last season, David Masters and Chris Wright were as economical as anyone with the new ball. Napier proved effective as first change and the experienced Flower gave little away with his slow left-arm spin. Once again, Danish Kaneria is the Eagles overseas representative. It is essential that the Pakistan leg-spinner puts all of the speculation surrounding his involvement in spot-fixing to one side.
Surrey Lions clashes: 10 June (Thu) at the Brit Oval & 25 June (Fri) at Chelmsford.
T20 2010 odds: 12-1.
T20 South Group odds: 7-1.
Best finish: Semi finalists (2006 and 2008).
Biggest total: 242-3 v Sussex at Chelmsford 2008.
Highest score: 152* by Graham Napier v Sussex at Chelmsford 2008.
Best bowling: 4-10 by Graham Napier v Northamptonshire at Chelmsford 2008.

GLAMORGAN
Glamorgan have all the makings of a decent Twenty20 outfit, but although they are currently riding high in Division Two of the County Championship, the Welshmen have made an indifferent start to the season in one-day cricket. Mark Cosgrove has been explosive with the bat. His opening partner, Gareth Rees has been a model of consistency, but Rees's T20 record is nothing to write home about. Jim Allenby, who finished third in last summer's list of leading run-makers in the Twenty20 Cup and topped the list of six hitters, is therefore likely to go in ahead of Rees, who may also drop in behind skipper Jamie Dalrymple and the promising duo of Ben Wright and Tom Maynard. Cosgrove's former South Australia team-mate Shaun Tait will be equally as fiery with the new ball, especially if his performances in the recent World Twenty20 are anything to go by. Allenby and the impressive James Harris will share the shiny ball with Tait, backed up by Dean Cosker, Robert Croft and Dalrymple in the spin department.
Surrey Lions clashes: 4 July (Sun) at the Brit Oval & 9 July (Fri) at Cardiff.
T20 2010 odds: 33-1.
T20 South Group odds: 16-1.
Best finish: Semi finalists (2004).
Biggest total: 206-6 v Somerset at Taunton 2006.
Highest score: 116* by Ian Thomas v Somerset at Taunton 2004.
Best bowling: 5-16 by Ryan Watkins v Gloucestershire at Cardiff 2009.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE
If the Gladiators are to disprove their ante-post odds of 18-1 to win the South Group, their New Zealand contingent will almost certainly have to come to the fore. All-rounder, James Franklin has been Gloucestershire's go to man in this year's Clydesdale Bank 40League. Fellow countryman and seamer Ian Butler may well join him as second overseas player. With Steven Kirby averaging just 15.28 runs per victim in last season's T20 and both Geemal Hussain and David Payne exuding promise, the Gladiators possess an impressive seam attack. But, having had his bid to take Robert Croft on loan turned down by Glamorgan, coach John Bracewell clearly has less confidence in his spinners - Vikram Banerjee and Richard Dawson. The Gladiators' batting looks equally thin. Other than Franklin and Will Porterfield, no one has really shown much form with the bat in one-day cricket this term. However, Hamish Marshall, a former Kiwi, has a Twenty20 strike rate of 141.06, which undoubtedly makes him a danger. On paper at least, ideal first opponents for Surrey.
Surrey Lions clashes: 8 June (Tue) at the Brit Oval & 18 July (Sun) at Bristol.
T20 2010 odds: 40-1.
T20 South Group odds: 18-1.
Best finish: Runners-up (2007).
Biggest total: 227-4 v Somerset at Bristol 2006.
Highest score: 100* by Ian Harvey v Warwickshire at Edgbaston 2003 and 100 by Hamish Marshall v Worcestershire at Kidderminster 2007.
Best bowling: 4-22 by Ian Fisher v Somerset at Bristol 2004.

HAMPSHIRE
Having failed to progress beyond the last eight in previous T20's, and despite the absence of Shahid Afridi - not to mention an inconsistent start to the season - the Royals go into this year's competition as joint favourites. Why? The answer is Michael Lumb. The 30-year-old left-hander finished second in last summer's list of leading run-makers in the Twenty20 Cup, boasting a strike rate 160.72, and was a key man for England in the recent World T20. With Jimmy Adams, Michael Carberry, Sean Ervine and Abdul Razzaq also capable of scoring at well over a run a ball, expect Hampshire to create a fair amount of scoreboard pressure. They might need to with Dimitri Mascarenhas still not over the Achilles injury that ended his IPL participation. Nevertheless, Ervine and Razzaq are canny bowlers in this form of the game and Kabir Ali and Dominic Cork have bags of experience. The unknown quantity is slow left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who has been economical in the Clydesdale Bank 40League, but who hasn't played any Twenty20 cricket in this country.
Surrey Lions clashes: 13 June (Sun) at the Rose Bowl & 22 June (Tue) at the Brit Oval.
T20 2010 odds: 7-1 joint favourites.
T20 South Group odds: 4-1 joint favourites.
Best finish: Quarter finalists (2004 and 2009).
Biggest total: 225-2 v Middlesex at the Rose Bowl 2006.
Highest score: 124* by Michael Lumb v Essex at the Rose Bowl 2009.
Best bowling: 5-14 by Dimitri Mascarenhas v Sussex at Hove 2004.

KENT
If Kent can get on a roll early on, they could prove to be something of a surprise package. With Makhaya Ntini having finished his stint as overseas player, the Spitfires are only intending to field one import - Sri Lankan leg-spinner Malinga Bandara, who will no doubt be looking to forge an alliance with off-twirler James Tredwell, arguably the pick of the hop county's attack in last summer's Twenty20 Cup. Azhar Mahmood, who was their leading wicket-taker in 2009, will take the new ball along with one of Amjad Khan or, as seems more likely, Simon Cook. Darren Stevens, a player tailor-made for T20 cricket, will act as first change. Stevens, who was second in the list of six hitters last term, will also be a central figure with the bat. But if Kent are going to achieve anything in this year's Twenty20, they need the likes of Rob Key, Joe Denly and Martin van Jaarsveld to get their innings off to a good start. Probably lack the depth to go all the way.
Surrey Lions clashes: 18 June (Fri) at the Brit Oval & 23 June (Wed) at Canterbury.
T20 2010 odds: 14-1.
T20 South Group odds: 7-1.
Best finish: Winners (2007).
Biggest total: 204-5 v Essex at Beckenham 2008.
Highest score: 112 by Andrew Symonds v Middlesex at Maidstone 2004.
Best bowling: 4-14 by Darren Stevens v Essex at Chelmsford 2007.

MIDDLESEX
In an attempt to regain the title they won so dramatically in 2008, Middlesex will parade two of the more inspired overseas signings in this season's Twenty20 - Adam Gilchrist and David Warner. The Aussie duo complete a formidable batting line-up, which will be even stronger if and when Eoin Morgan and Andrew Strauss are available. Scott Newman, Owais Shah and Dawid Malan have all made runs in this season's Clydesdale Bank 40League and there are far worse number sixes than Gareth Berg. But if the Pink Panthers have a weakness it is that their ground fielding isn't, shall we say, the most impressive you will ever see. The onus will therefore be on Tim Murtagh to make the early inroads and for Malan - who had one of the best economy rates in last year's T20 - Tom Smith and skipper Shaun Udal to make it hard for opposition batsmen to score runs by taking the pace off the ball. Middlesex's first two opponents are Sussex and Somerset, both of whom are likely to provide a stern test.
Surrey Lions clashes: 17 June (Thu) at Lord's & 8 July (Thu) at the Brit Oval.
T20 2010 odds: 10-1.
T20 South Group odds: 6-1.
Best finish: Winners (2008).
Biggest total: 210-6 v Hampshire at the Rose Bowl 2005.
Highest score: 103 by Dawid Malan v Lancashire at The Oval 2008.
Best bowling: 5-13 by Murali Kartik v Essex at Lord's 2007.

SOMERSET
One glance at Somerset's top order explains why the Sabres are expected to do well in this year's T20. In last summer's competition Marcus Trescothick had a strike rate of 159.90. All-rounder Peter Trego was not far behind him with 154.48. Zander de Bruyn was the leading run-maker for the Cidermen. As we have seen recently, Craig Kieswetter, James Hildreth and Jos Buttler are all in superb form with the bat. But Somerset will be without two of their overseas signings initially. West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard will be available soon, but Cameron White is only expected to feature in the second half of the Twenty20 campaign. India's Murali Kartik, who helped Middlesex win the Twenty20 Cup two years ago, would make an ideal substitute. If Somerset have a weakness it is that their bowling resources lack depth. Alfonso Thomas was the country's leading wicket-taker in last year's T20 with 18 victims at 17.22 runs apiece, but he goes into this summer's competition with a quad muscle problem, which could see Mark Turner playing a more prominent role.
Surrey Lions clashes: 12 June (Sat) at Taunton & 2 July (Fri) at the Brit Oval.
T20 2010 odds: 7-1 joint favourites.
T20 South Group odds: 4-1 joint favourites.
Best finish: Winners (2005).
Biggest total: 250-3 v Gloucestershire at Taunton 2006.
Highest score: 141* by Cameron White v Worcestershire at Worcester 2006.
Best bowling: 4-15 by Aaron Laraman v Worcestershire at Taunton 2004.

SURREY
One of the plusses for Surrey is that other than Steven Davies, who is likely to be selected for the Triangular A Team series, the Lions are unlikely to be inconvenienced by England call-ups. However, it remains to be seen whether Pakistan's Younis Khan will be available. Barring injury, the presence of Andrew Symonds is assured and if the Australian can repeat what he achieved for Kent in 2003 and 2004 and Lancashire in 2005 the Oval outfit should be a force to be reckoned with. Davies, who had a strike rate of 153.25 in last summer's T20, and skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown have been opening the innings to great effect in the Clydesdale Bank 40League. Usman Afzaal, who holds the record for the highest score by a Surrey batsman in the Twenty20 Cup, has a decent record in this form of the game, plus there's always Mark Ramprakash to turn things around if wickets tumble. The new ball is likely to be shared by Jade Dernbach and one of Andre Nel and Chris Tremlett. But the Lions' bowling strength lies in the spin department. Chris Schofield was the county's leading T20 wicket-taker in 2009, Gareth Batty gives little away plus Afzaal, Hamilton-Brown and Spriegel are also capable of springing a few surprises. In with an outside chance - their odds of 16-1 look like great value.
T20 2010 odds: 16-1.
T20 South Group odds: 8-1.
Best finish: Winners (2003).
Biggest total: 224-5 v Gloucestershire at Bristol 2006.
Highest score: 98* by Usman Afzaal v Middlesex at Lord's 2009.
Best bowling: 6-24 by Tim Murtagh v Middlesex at Lord's 2005.

SUSSEX
Ignore the fact that Sussex are one of the two teams to have suffered at the hands of the Unicorns this season. Unlike a number of their contemporaries, the defending Twenty20 champions possess an ideal balance between bat and ball. Ed Joyce has now recovered from the operation to his right hip. New Zealand's Brendon McCullum should provide plenty of fireworks at the top of the order. Chris Nash and Luke Wright are both capable of scoring quickly and Murray Goodwin is in prime form. The bowling attack is likely to be spearheaded, once again, by James Kirtley, who was Sussex's leading wicket-taker in last summer's Twenty20 Cup, and Pakistan's Yasir Arafat, with whom he forged such a potent partnership in 2009. But, often, the secret to the Sharks success has been their spinners, who are led by skipper Michael Yardy. Monty Panesar was economical for Northants in last year's T20 and there is no reason why he shouldn't be a factor for the Sharks. It would be no surprise to see them reach T20 Finals Day.
Surrey Lions clashes: 20 June (Sun) at the Brit Oval & 11 July (Sun) at Arundel.
T20 2010 odds: 9-1.
T20 South Group odds: 5-1.
Best finish: Winners (2009).
Biggest total: 205-5 v Hampshire at Hove 2007.
Highest score: 103 by Luke Wright v Kent at Canterbury 2007.
Best bowling: 5-11 by Mushtaq Ahmed v Essex at Hove 2005.

RECORDS
Twenty20 Cup - Surrey records 2003-2009 
Twenty20 Cup - Surrey results 2003-2009 
Twenty20 Cup - Records at a glance 2003-2009 

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