WARWICKSHIRE V SURREY at Edgbaston (Royal London One-Day Cup), 12 AUGUST 2014

What should be a mouth-watering dress rehearsal for the NatWest T20 Blast semi-final is not only under threat from the weather, it is also a little devalued due to some notable absences.

With the bat, the Bears' skipper Varun Chopra started the Royal London with a bang, scoring 183 runs in three visits to the crease, before picking up an injury. However, Jonathan Trott has continued his rehabilitation with a 50-over hundred against Durham at Gosforth, while Ambrose, Evans and Porterfield have contributed fifties along the way.

Rikki Clarke has been more of a presence with the ball for Warwickshire. The former Surrey all-rounder currently has an economy rate of just 3.89. With off-spinner Jetan Patel and Irish speedster Boyd Rankin amongst the wickets and Oliver Hannon-Dalby lending support, it's something of a surprise that the Bears are have not, so far, won more games than they've lost in the Royal London One Day Cup.

Click here for the Surrey v Warwickshire List A Records sheet as at the start of the 2014 season.

Stuart Meaker, with 48, is approaching 50 List A career wickets.

Chris Tremlett returns to the squad, but it's still a question of who isn't named, e.g. Ansari, Dernbach, Dunn. One hopes and assumes they're all being rested ahead of this weekend's critical championship clash with Leicestershire.

They're saying there could be some rain around in Birmingham tomorrow, so be prepared for a stop-start day. Surrey's form in this competition has been disappointing, to say the least. Also, it's on the road, which recent one-day history indicates puts Surrey at an immediate disadvantage. Not unsurprisingly, the Bears start as massive favourites.

W Porterfield (capt), F Coleman, J Trott, T Ambrose (wk), L Evans, R Clarke, A Javid, J Patel, R Gordon, J Poysden and O Hannon-Dalby.

Nick Cook and Steve O'Shaughnessy. (Third umpire - Peter Willey).

GO TO:




BACK TO: