T20 2023 campaign

So the T20 campaign starts tomorrow night with a trip to our neighbours.

Having looked at the squad i've trying to work out who will be squad for the 1st 2 games, with the 2nd game on Friday

I will be honest and say that I havent been watching the IPL, so is Jordan back to captain, is Roy back to open, is Sam Curran back? Will the ECB allow Pope to play? The other question is on Laurie Evans, is he eligible to play.
If the answer to all the above is yes then I guess the side will look something like this

Roy, Jacks, Pope, Evans, Curran, Foakes, Clark, Abbott, Jordan, Narine, Atkinson  

If someone of them arent available then Smith, Lawes, Moriarty, Worrall and others can step in.

I will be honest that if 4 of the top 5 arent available, it will leave the batting a little short

be interesting to see what the squad looks like when it is announced

With no international white-ball cricket until the end of August, for the first time in years we should have our strongest team of fit players bar Pope available to us throughout the group stage, and for the quarter-final (assuming we qualify).

Whether we select Ben Foakes for this format even if he remains unexpectedly available during June is, from previous experience, far from certain. Jordan Clark has previously featured regularly, but ideally I think Surrey would want to rotate him, Tom Lawes and Gus Atkinson and rest Dan Worrall entirely for the championship battles ahead, when we will be without Roach and possibly Abbott if the Aussies keep him.

Moriarty is a decent option in T20, and given that any combination of the others bats down to 10 we can afford to play him regularly.

From the club's website, I think that Jamie Overton will be regularly involved too, even if to begin with he may not be bowling.

Moriarty took a hat-trick for the seconds the other day,and it should've been 4 in 4!

T20. Don't watch it so I'll be back June 11th for Kent vs Surrey.

Try the 11th June instead.

As Jordan is playing for Mumbai Indians today, it seems he wont be involved in the 1st 2 games of the campaign.

be interesting to see who the captain will be in his absence

Middlesex squad

Stephen Eskinazi (C), Martin Andersson, Joe Cracknell, Blake Cullen, Jack Davies, Nathan Fernandes, Tom Helm, Ryan Higgins, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Pieter Malan, Toby Roland-Jones, John Simpson, Thilan Walallawita

Only one overseas (we're broke, don't you know, so no attempt to replace the crocked Maharaj). It doesn't look much better than last year, though Higgins should help. Fernandes is, I think, a batsman who also bowls left arm spin but he may just be in for squad experience.

I think Worrall will sit out at least some of the T20 and be used very sparingly if at all in the RL Cup. I also doubt the ECB making Pope available.

I would like to see the Professor given some playing time here, I do think he shows promise.
Narine will probably bat in the top five as he is a fast scorer. How about Jacks, Evans, Narine, Curran S, Smith, Foakes, Overton, Abbott, Atkinson, Lawes, Moriarty.

IF Overton plays, then it will surely be as a batsman only, so he will come in higher up the order than 7

You are likely right Coatsey, the big hitters tend to come in early to ensure they have time available in the middle. I am assuming Roy has buggered off to play in some outlandish league. If he is available he should open with Evans dropping down the order and perhaps Lawes left on the bench.

Seems like Roy, SCurran and Narine have practiced today, which bodes very well

[quote="Coatesy"]IF Overton plays, then it will surely be as a batsman only, so he will come in higher up the order than 7[/quote]

In other news The Titanic has sunk.

Sam is captain. 15-man squad including (drum roll)....Cameron Steel!

I'm a little surprised that Ryan Patel has never been given a chance in this format since he became a more free-flowing starter. At the moment he seems more suited to T20 than he does to the rigours of the championship.

No chance Patel gets in with our senior players back

Based on that list I'd say Lawes, Steel, then one of TCurran/Overton and Clark/Atkinson miss out. Don't see how we can play two guys coming off stress fractures as pinch hitters.

It's a tough bloody call though - with no England stuff on we're looking very strong on paper. I'm all for giving Foakes a break too after what has probably been a pretty tough few weeks for him

For those who havent seen it, the squad is here.

https://www.kiaoval.com/surrey-name-squad-for-vitality-blast-opener-at-lords/

as Alex says above that is a very strong squad, whilst also missing its skipper, and Topley, who is probably our best white ball bowler (is there any news on him fitness wise)

from that squad, I would go

Roy, Jacks, Evans, Overton, Smith (wk), S Curran, Clark, Abbott, Narine, Atkinson, Moriarty

That leaves Lawes, Steel, Worrall and T Curran missing out.

Reason I have gone for Overton above any of those 4 is because I think the top order needs another batsman. In saying that I wouldnt have any issues with any of the 4 missing out playing instead of Overton, however that would add to the bowling dept which is already stocked with 7 options

For those without Sky tonight's game will be on Youtube for free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlxb79cB1fU

Coatesy wrote:For those who havent seen it, the squad is here.

https://www.kiaoval.com/surrey-name-squad-for-vitality-blast-opener-at-lords/

as Alex says above that is a very strong squad, whilst also missing its skipper, and Topley, who is probably our best white ball bowler (is there any news on him fitness wise)

from that squad, I would go

Roy, Jacks, Evans, Overton, Smith (wk), S Curran, Clark, Abbott, Narine, Atkinson, Moriarty

That leaves Lawes, Steel, Worrall and T Curran missing out.

Reason I have gone for Overton above any of those 4 is because I think the top order needs another batsman. In saying that I wouldnt have any issues with any of the 4 missing out playing instead of Overton, however that would add to the bowling dept which is already stocked with 7 options

Overton is an absolute monster of a batter in T20. I’d be annoyed if he missed out to any of those 4!

he is, but fitness is the only issue.

If he was to miss out to any of those 4 then Smith and Curran (at least) move up 1 in the order

Narine has pinch-hitted in the past, so that’s another option.

My XI:
Roy, Jacks, S Curran, Evans, Smith (wk), Overton, Abbott, Narine, T Curran, Lawes, Moriarty

Alex! wrote:For those without Sky tonight's game will be on Youtube for free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlxb79cB1fU

Thanks! Just what I was hoping for.

Roy has pulled up with a calf problem and we've left out Moriarty. Ah

Surrey win toss and bat.

Surrey:
9 WG Jacks
74 SP Narine
58 SM Curran*
59 TK Curran
10 LJ Evans
11 JL Smith†
88 J Overton
16 J Clark
77 SA Abbott
37 AAP Atkinson
30 TE Lawes

Middlesex:
28 SS Eskinazi*
48 JB Cracknell
13 PJ Malan
4 MDE Holden
29 RF Higgins
56 LBK Hollman
20 JA Simpson†
24 MK Andersson
18 NS Fernandes
7 TG Helm
19 BC Cullen

Roy is going to America. Given up his England contract. High time Surrey got rid of him.

And now he has a mystery injury, minutes before the toss!

Was quite clear on the video he had some kind of issue with his calf

Not sure about sending TC above both Evans and Smith