v Surrey LVCC1 @ Taunton Friday 15 August 2008

Scorecard

 There are rumours of a contrived finish attempt being made this morning with negotiations between the captains about what scenario would create a competitive finish with a wining result possible for both sides.  One has to wonder what would be a situation that Surrey would be happy to agree to and whether we would agree to forego any bowling bonus points to go for it.

We shall wait with bated breath.  In the meantime Surrey resume on 47 for 1 after losing Newman for zero to Caddick late last evening.  It's probably significant that the Surrey warm up involved batsmen only and the only people on the field at 10:30 are Caddick, Phillips and Thomas who are all warming up.

What does it all mean?

Well as the umpires come out it means very little because the news has just come thorugh that the Riverside game between Durham and Nottinghamshire has been abandoned without a ball being bowled and with our 5 points already we'll probably take the day, hopefully get the bowling bonus points and the 4 for the draw and take the 12 without problem.  As somene said in here, if two ex-Middlesex guys could sort it out, the perfect situation would be them getting the 400 and us taking 9 wickets.  That would leave us in sight of Durham (about 2 behind) and very near Notts with a game in hand over them.

It'll be a bat out the day game unless we get through them sharpish - highly unlikely but we shall have to see.  Langer will play it safe - he has no real reason not to and Ramps won't jeopardise the draw his side need as they hold up the table and hopefully will take bonus batting points from this one.

Alfonso opened form the River and Charl took the ball at the OP with Ramps facing the first ball, Sean Walters is at the other ned and has the honour of putting the first boundary to the boards for 4 - providing Surrey with a 50. That happenend the ball before Willoughby had him caught at slip for 38.  50 for 2.  Batty is the next man in.

But he is also the next man out when at 62, Thomas gets one through his defence and clean bowls him for 8.  Seventeen to go and out comes Afzaal.  As long as we can keep the big partnership from forming we have a slim chance in this.  These two are the ones who can put this game away and they will be planning to do so.  Charl has an attacking field with 2 slips and a gully and Hildreth taking the close legside fielding position under the helmet.  Usmann  seems willing to take on the bowling and has a couple of injudicious swishes - keep that up sir...go for everything.  Alfonso is jagging it across the new batsman and Langer has a third slip in for him at the OP. Thomas is being aggressive, sharp and varied while his bowling partner does that 'plugging away' thing that he has done so well all season.

In comes Andrew to take over at the River for the 35th over with 78 to Surrey. His first ball to Afzaal is right on the money and all the batsman can do is push it to Hildreth at midwicket.  A maiden and Afzaal gets a bit of a working over but handles it well. Ramprakash is playing at absolutely nothing he doesn't need to. No tempting this man to hit runs - he doesn't actually need to.  Charl puts in another maiden and the Surrey men stay where they have been for 12 balls. 

Ben Phillips comes on at over number 40 with 91 on the board.  It's going to be a long afternoon on the basis of the last half hour.  We are pushing for attacking shots and the batsmen are looking to hit as little as possible.  In the 41st, Caddick is not happy with the ball and the umpires have a chat about it for a minute or two before they send it back to the big man to carry on with it. It's only going about the place at 3 runs an over so there shouldn't be much up with it.  He seems to be expecting something from it because we now have three more fielders in the off side ring with Zander and Pete joining James in the gully area.  The only fielder not there is the third slip!  Unfortunately very little is happening and when it does, Ramps flip it over Marcus at second slip for a four that brings up the 100.

Ian Blackwell is brought on for the 45th and probably will be Justin's last throw at going for a win.  It was always an absolute outside chance but as the two Surrey men go to a 50 partnership at 112 this game goes into it's draw phase.  Therefore the main aim now is to get 9 down before the game reaches the inevitable draw now.

Ramprakash goes to 50 off 140 balls with 7 fours at 132.  Ian is not exactly causing problems on this 'minefield' and they all troop off for lunch with 135 up but no more wickets down.

Peter Trego opens at the OP after lunch and Ian continues at the River end around the wicket to Afzaal and looking a little more menacing fromthat angle with Peter Trego close at silly mid off with James H still in the helmet on the leg side..  But there is very little change other than the personnel.  The Surrey men are not going to hit anything they don't have to and they are quite happy to stay on 136 for the rest of the afternoon rather than take a risk.

Up comes the 150 off the bat of Ramprakash from a ball from Ian in the 59th.  It takes their parternship to 90.and then past 100 in the 62nd.  The only thing now pending in this game is the obligatory Ramps century.  Bonus points loo a long way for both sides unless these two decide to have a belt once the game is safe (and we must be getting there now).

Tea arrives with the visitors 2 more wickets down but a couple of runs from saving the follow on.  They'll pack it in at 5 one would expect and we may get another point but it looks highly doubtful that they will get to 400 or that we will get 9 wickets.

Ramps hit his 100 off loads of balls with 14 fours.  Afzaal got his 50 off loadsa balls as well and Caddick made Spriegel look like a rabbit. he's bouncing all over the place, diving to save runs and bowling like we haven't seen him this season.  All in a lost cause unfortunately.

I'm on my way home so fill in the rest of the gaps yerselves people.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Notts Part 2 - Sunday
• The run to the tape starts here