WARWICKSHIRE BEARS V SURREY LIONS at Edgbaston (CB40), 17 AUGUST 2011

Unless my maths is wrong, 18 points is now enough to guarantee a place in the CB40 semi-finals. So, Surrey, with 17 points, will progress to the last four should they win tomorrow's contest at Edgbaston. In fact, a no result would suffice. The chances of a Lions' victory are boosted by dint of Warwickshire's position. Even if the Bears were to win their two remaining Group B fixtures, they would still miss out on a top two finish in the group. So, although this game is on Sky, Warwickshire may well opt to rest key players and keep their powder dry for the concluding chapters of the County Championship.

We can therefore expect to see the likes of Ant Botha and Andrew Miller pressed into action. Both bowlers have been economical in their handful of CB40 outings this summer. But, as Warwickshire have found to their cost, frugality is not everything. Of the four members of their attack averaging less than 31 runs per CB40 wicket, two have been under-utilised (Miller and Chris Metters) and one is injured (Darren Maddy), which just leaves New Zealand's Jeetan Patel.

The batting has fared better. Varun Chopra and Will Porterfield have consistently got the Bears off to a decent start. Rikki Clarke and Jim Troughton have also chipped in. But thereafter things have invariably tailed off. Keith Barker, who is averaging 53.83 in the County Championship, has only one CB40 half-century to show from eight visits to the crease, while Tim Ambrose, with a strike rate of 63.10, just has not made his runs quickly enough.

Click here for the Surrey v Warwickshire List A Records sheet.


Surrey's Gareth Batty is set to make his 200th List A appearance. Chris Schofield is approaching two List A landmarks. The 32-year-old all-rounder currently has 1,954 runs and 146 wickets. Warwickshire's Neil Carter (2,952) and Rikki Clarke (2,957) are both nearing three thousand List A career runs.


No alterations to the Surrey side that tasted success at Northampton are envisaged.

OPPONENT DATE COMP RESULT VENUE SURREY OPPONENT
Northamptonshire 15 Aug 2011 NL Won By 3 Wickets Northampton 298-7 (38.5) 296-7 (40)
Northamptonshire 3 Aug 2011 NL Won By 12 Runs The Oval 273-9 (40) 261-9 (40)
Warwickshire 24 Jul 2011 NL Won By 3 Wickets Guildford 227-7 (38.5) 225-8 (40)
Durham 17 Jul 2011 NL Abandoned The Riverside - -
Hampshire 22 May 2011 NL Won By 36 Runs Whitgift Sch 311-7 (40) 275 (38.4)


Surrey have suffered defeats in four of their last five one-day visits to Edgbaston, so this game is far from being the foregone conclusion it might appear. But the Lions are on a high after completing their biggest run chase ever in a 40-over match two days ago, so there shouldn't be any stopping them. A win for the visitors.


V Chopra, N Carter, W Porterfield, J Troughton (capt), R Clarke, K Barker, T Ambrose (wk), A Botha, S Piolet, C Metters and J Patel.


Peter Hartley and David Willey. (Third umpire - Nigel Cowley.).

DATE COMP RESULT VENUE TOSS DECISION SURREY WARWS
24 Jul 2011 NL Won By 3 Wickets Guildford Warws Bat 227-7 (38.5) 225-8 (40)
16 Sep 2009 NL Lost By 9 Wickets The Oval Surrey Bat 200-8 (40) 201-1 (35)
25 Aug 2008 NL Won By 21 Runs Edgbaston Surrey Bat 238-5 (40) 217 (38.4)
14 Sep 2005 NL Lost By 68 Runs Edgbaston Warws Bat 224 (40.3) 292-8 (45)
5 Jun 2005 NL Lost By 49 Runs Whitgift Sch Warws Bat 260 (41.2) 309-8 (45)
25 Jul 2004 NL Won By 90 Runs Guildford Surrey Bat 315-8 (45) 225 (34.3)
9 May 2004 NL Lost By 45 Runs Edgbaston Warws Bat 195 (41) 240 (45)
13 Jul 2003 NL Lost By 6 Wickets Edgbaston Surrey Bat 242-9 (45) 244-4 (42.1)
4 May 2003 NL Won By 25 Runs The Oval Surrey Bat 281-8 (45) 256 (43.1)
30 Aug 2001 NL Won By 123 Runs Whitgift Sch Surrey Bat 231 (45) 108 (29.5)
29 Jul 2001 NL Lost By 3 Wickets Edgbaston Warws Field 136 (42.2) 137-7 (37.3)
9 Aug 2000 NL Won By 103 Runs Whitgift Sch Surrey Bat 211-9 (45) 108 (30)
23 Jun 2000 NL Won By 7 Wickets Edgbaston Warws Bat 166-3 (41.1) 162-7 (45)
26 Apr 1998 NL Lost By 8 Wickets The Oval Warws Field 81-5 (10) 82-2 (9.1)
6 Jul 1997 NL Lost By 48 Runs Edgbaston Surrey Field 183-9 (40) 231-6 (40)

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