WARWICKSHIRE V SURREY at Edgbaston (SSCC1), 13-16 AUGUST 2016

Fifth plays host to seventh in Division One of the Specsavers County Championship. For the visitors, six defeats in their last 15 championship meetings with Warwickshire, and just two victories, hardly bodes well. But, on the plus side, they do hold a 23-point advantage - albeit having played one game more - than the two sides below them in the table.

Surrey will go into this game - as they did the first meeting with Warwickshire at Guildford - thankful that Chris Woakes's international career has gone from strength to strength. But even in the absence of the 27-year-old all-rounder, the Brummies have three regulars averaging less than thirty with the ball - Keith Barker (41 championship wickets at 25.51 runs apiece), Rikki Clarke (29 at 29.24) and overseas off-spinner Jeetan Patel (41 at an average of 25.82), who wrapped the Oval outfit around his little finger at the start of July, with match figures of 10-123. Had seamers Boyd Rankin (knee) and Chris Wright (side strain) been anything like fit this season, Warwickshire might have mounted a more concerted challenge for the title.

Two names jump out of the batting card - skipper Ian Bell (445 runs at an average of 37.08 in this season's County Championship) and Jonathan Trott (812 runs at 62.46, including two hundreds). Sandwiched between them at the top of Warwickshire's batting averages is Varun Chopra who is ticking along at 42.40 with the bat, notwithstanding his decision to move back to Essex when the dust has settled on the 2016 season. With Tim Ambrose and Keith Barker contributing handsomely, as well as regularly, in terms of lower order runs, Andrew Umeed, 20, has had the advantage of not being pressured to score heavily while finding his feet in the professional game.

Surrey v Warwickshire - First-Class Records Sheet


Steven Davies (947) is just 53 shy of 1,000 first-class runs for the season, while, on the other side of the coin, Jonathan Trott (888) requires another 112 runs to do likewise and Keith Barker is 6 wickets away from 50 f-c victims this campaign.


As expected, Kumar Sangakkara returns to the Surrey squad having completed his stint for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League. But, curiously, Ravi Rampaul, who was attached to the Barbados Tridents, is conspicuous by his absence from the 14-man party, in which Mark Footitt, Arun Harinath and Gary Wilson are named.

OPPONENT DATE RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Middlesex 4-7 Aug 2016 Match Drawn Lord's 415 & 266-7d 293 & 278-6
Hampshire 17-20 Jul 2016 Won By An Inns & 13 Runs Rose Bowl 637-7d 423 & 201
Yorkshire 11-14 Jul 2016 Match Drawn The Oval 267 & 106-1 407
Warwickshire 2-4 Jul 2016 Lost By 10 Wickets Guildford 273 & 177 449 & 5-0
Nottinghamshire 19-22 Jun 2016 Won By 228 Runs The Oval 323 & 244-5d 182 & 157


Since these two sides met last, at the beginning of July, Surrey have held title favourites Yorkshire to a draw, beaten Hampshire and threatened to end Middlesex's unbeaten record. Meanwhile, the Bears have drawn with relegation-threatened Hampshire before crashing to defeat inside three days to the Yorkies. For once this season, the weather forecast need not be taken into account - they're saying it'll be sun all the way. Warwickshire have not played a championship game at Edgbaston starting in August in the last two years, but, in 2013, all three ended in draws. Surrey would probably settle for that, but, should the visitors luck with the toss continue, Surrey to bat first might make for a fascinating battle. Verdict - sitting on the fence again, draw.


V.Chopra, A.Umeed, J.Trott, I.Bell (capt), A.Javid, T.Ambrose (wk), R.Clarke, K.Barker, J.Patel, C.Wright and O.Hannon-Dalby
.


Nigel Cowley and Tim Robinson. Since the introduction of two divisions in the County Championship, in 2000, Nigel Cowley has stood in 21 four-day games involving the Oval outfit, who have won 9 of them and lost only three. However, Surrey have lost each of the last three championship matches in which Tim Robinson has umped, including this summer's defeats at Trent Bridge and Old Trafford. Combined leg-before-o-meter: 19.6% of dismissals.

DATE RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY WARWS
2-4 Jul 2016 Lost By 10 Wickets Guildford Surrey Bat 273 & 177 449 & 5-0
17-20 Sep 2013 Lost By 6 Wickets Edgbaston Warwicks Field 400-5d & Forfeited 120-0d & 281-4
5-8 Jun 2013 Match Drawn Guildford Warwicks Bat 274 & 234-4 631-9d
27-30 Jul 2012 Match Drawn Edgbaston Warwicks Bat 286 & 202-3 571
23-26 May 2012 Lost By 5 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 223 & 245 247 & 222-5
6-9 Sep 2007 Won By 9 Wickets Edgbaston Warwicks Bat 373 & 179-1 285 & 264
9-12 May 2007 Match Drawn The Oval Warwicks Bat 400-1d 329 & 5-0
10-13 Sep 2005 Match Drawn Edgbaston Warwicks Field 225 & 313-5d 338 &26-0
1-4 Jun 2005 Match Drawn Whitgift Sch Surrey Bat 340 & 310-7d 209 & 222-3
21-24 Jul 2004 Lost By 7 Wickets Guildford Surrey Field 331 & 412 537 & 207-3
12-15 May 2004 Lost By 7 Wickets Edgbaston Warwicks Bat 302 & 414 546 & 171-3
9-12 Jul 2003 Won By 135 Runs Edgbaston Surrey Bat 355 & 450-5d 245 & 425
30 Apr - 3 May 2003 Match Drawn The Oval Warwicks Bat 390 413 & 221-7d
27-30 Aug 2002 Match Drawn Edgbaston Warwicks Bat 544 345 & 404-9d
10-13 Jul 2002 Lost By 31 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 475 & 137 293 & 350
21-23 Jul 1999 Won By An Inns & 123 Runs Edgbaston Surrey Bat 483 227 & 133
23-27 Apr 1998 Won By An Inns & 49 Runs The Oval Surrey Field 405-6d 207 & 149
2-5 Jul 1997 Lost By 5 Wickets Edgbaston Warwicks Field 193 & 144 306 & 34-5
29-31 Aug 1996 Won By An Inns & 164 Runs The Oval Surrey Field 468 195 & 109
4-8 May 1995 Lost By 91 Runs Edgbaston Surrey Field 288 & 301 470 & 210-4d

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