Surrey vs Somerset 21st-24th April

Well if we play like last week we should be able to knock the cider men over and help to send them towards Division 2. If Topley and Curran are in I wonder who will be out from the last game. Should know this afternoon.

We should certainly be in confident mood ahead of this game, unlike our opponents who have lost their first two (narrow margins against Essex, admittedly).

Team selection will be interesting. It is a refreshing change to be faced with having such competition for places that we will probably end up leaving out a couple of players who would otherwise deserve to be picked. It is always tempting to say "don't change a winning team" but there are times when you need to. Roach's injury forces at least one change (Topley the obvious replacement). Despite our great win last week I would still play five front-line bowlers, and ideally one of our first-choice spinners. It may be April, but it has been an unusually dry one. Besides, even if not taking lots of wickets, a good spinner can offer sufficient control over 20 overs or more of an innings to give the seamers the respite they need. As someone said the other day, maybe Roach was just unlucky but the fragile Topley and the injury-prone Overton need to be used in short, sharp bursts. Jacks remains for me an occasional spin option in four-day cricket. I can't imagine that Somerset will not select Jack Leach.

So:assuming Sam Curran is still not ready to bowl and Worrall is not yet in contention, my team would be Burns, Patel, Amla, Pope, Jacks, Foakes, Clark, J Overton, Taylor, Topley, Virdi or Moriarty.  Very harsh on Jamie Smith, but as I say there is refreshing competition in our batting ranks. Will Jacks deserves to keep his place for his batting alone at the moment, and I would promote him to bat above Ben Foakes in an attacking move to try to maximise our bonus-points potential, given that Burns, Amla and Pope are around to provide greater security in the top-order.

looking at the bowling figures coming out of the 2nd eleven game at the rose Bowl neither Virdi or Moriaty ready to play in the first team. none of the bowlers doing them selves any favours,

TEAM NEWS
Somerset welcome back Tom Banton and Josh Davey, but are without Lewis Gregory (stiff back).

The 13-man Somerset squad for this match is: Tom Abell (c), Tom Banton, Jack Brooks, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Ben Green, James Hildreth, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle and Roelof van der Merwe.

Nothing yet from Surrey obviously.

Full Squad
Rory Burns (c)
Hashim Amla
Jordan Clark
Sam Curran
Ben Foakes (wk)
Will Jacks
Jamie Overton
Ryan Patel
Ollie Pope
Jamie Smith
Cameron Steel
James Taylor
Reece Topley

So Sam is included. I can't believe he would have been called up unless he is fit to bowl, given that the batting has done very well so far.

Working on that assumption, but also bearing in mind that (along with Topley and Overton) he is another whose load needs to be carefully managed, we have to pick five front-line bowlers. I would go:  Burns, Patel, Amla, Pope, Jacks, Foakes, S Curran, Clark, Overton, Taylor, Topley

I can't for the life of me understand why Steel gets in the squad ahead of either Virdi or Moriarty. We are presently very well stocked with batting - the six I have selected plus Jamie Smith, with Curran, Clark and Overton providing plenty of depth.  Jacks can offer part-time spin. What possible role could Steel perform at the moment?

Sam bowled 5 overs for the 2s. Is he now suddenly able to bowl 15/20 a day if that’s what we need?

Cee Gee wrote:Sam bowled 5 overs for the 2s. Is he now suddenly able to bowl 15/20 a day if that’s what we need?

Hi Cee Gee - I too noticed that Sam bowled only 5 overs yesterday for the 2s. I very much doubt that he'll be able to bowl 15/20 a day now. In any case, I would also expect that the ECB would endeavour to impose a limit on how much he can bowl.

If any of the above is right, it's hard to see that we would risk Sam being one of four frontline seamers. My thinking is either he'll miss out on selection or, to the fury of some, we'll play him as part of a five man seam attack with Jacks doing the slow stuff and Smith joining Steel on the bench (in line with Jackers' post).

Never ever play 5 seamers.

If Sam is fit to bowl properly:

Burns, Patel, Amla, Pope, Foakes, Smith, Jacks, S Curran, Clark, Overton, Topley

If not, then Taylor in for Sam.

Bowling just 5 overs in a 2s game does not fill me with me with much confidence about him being match ready...

Here's my preview of the Champo clash between @surreycricket and @SomersetCCC at the Oval over the next 4 days: http://www.ovalworld-online.com/prevsursomcc2022.htm

First-class stats sheet for @surreycricket vs @SomersetCCC http://www.ovalworld-online.com/fc_stats_surrey_somerset.pdf

For Surrey's fixtures and scorecards go to: http://www.ovalworld-online.com/cards.htm

Lost toss and bowling. Roach and Smith out, Curran and Topley in...

I'd be a bit miffed at dropping Smith, but when everyone else has scored runs and he hasn't then losing your spot is always on the cards. That being said, I hope this is on the provision that Curran can bowl a good workload because if he can't then it's not justified at all

On the other hand my Fantasy team is going to enjoy Topley, Clark, and Anderson all bowling today.

Alex! wrote:Lost toss and bowling. Roach and Smith out, Curran and Topley in...

I'd be a bit miffed at dropping Smith, but when everyone else has scored runs and he hasn't then losing your spot is always on the cards. That being said, I hope this is on the provision that Curran can bowl a good workload because if he can't then it's not justified at all

Smith clearly isn’t fit enough to bowl 5 overs today.

Alex! wrote:Lost toss and bowling. Roach and Smith out, Curran and Topley in...

I'd be a bit miffed at dropping Smith, but when everyone else has scored runs and he hasn't then losing your spot is always on the cards. That being said, I hope this is on the provision that Curran can bowl a good workload because if he can't then it's not justified at all

That seems a bit of a risk with Sam, and to some extent Reece and Jamie as well. My worry is not just for this game but also for the next few. We could be putting alot of work onto young Taylors shoulders.

looking at the 2 line ups, Siddle at 7 and Leach at 8 looks a long tail for the Cidermen. If we get a couple of quick wickets, we could be in for a good day, especially with the season they have had so far (please dont let this be a jinx, especially with our record against the tail)

Surely Van Der Merwe will bat at 7 (FC average 32) with Overton 8, Siddle 9 and Leach 10. That tail doesn’t look too bad.

Certainly not as long as Lancashire’s tail with Saqib Mahmood at 8!

Apart from that dogshit overthrow from Sam Curran, this has been a fantastic first hour. Not given them a sniff.

I think we will regret our decision not to play
Virdi or Moriarity later in the game.
Abell and Hildreth looking good.

Jacks on one end and Taylor on the other, how easy does batting look? Oh,for a quality spin bowler!!

Suffice to say that Curran's selection was not justified. State of it

Jacko the spin king

Well this is nice

I think it’s understated just how good a signing Jordan Clark has been. He’s so reliable. Not a superstar but he always contributes.

I hate to sound like a broken record but Curran bowling 2 over spells followed by a 4 over burst whilst the rest of the team toils just isn't on.