[themaclad]

Disappointing start should be beating Essex as they are likely to struggle, some decent performances century for Davies, good innings by Vilas, Anderson and Jarvis as the attack did well first innings as did Parry but inability to bowl them out second time around worrying

[themaclad]

Surrey v Lancashire @ The Kensington Oval 14-4-2017 to 17-4-2017

TEAM NEWS

Lancashire will be without Captain Steven Croft after being hit on the thumb during the Essex clash.

Jimmy Anderson stood in as skipper when Croft was unable to take the field on the last day, but he is also unavailable for this clash on ECB orders. The England Test ace will, however, return to county action for next weekend’s meeting with Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford.

THE OPPONENTS

Surrey completed an innings and one run victory over Warwickshire during the early stages of the fourth day on Monday.

Mark Stoneman scored a debut 165 after his winter move from Durham, underpinning a first-innings score of 454 all out.

Another Mark, the left-arm seamer Footitt, then blew the Bears away for just 91 in their reply with 6-14 from nine overs.

Jonathan Trott’s 151 in the second innings ensured Surrey didn’t have things all their own way, but Warwickshire were bowled out for 362, failing to make Gareth Batty’s side bat again.

It was some start to the season for the Londoners.

Lancashire coach Glen Chapple believes Surrey will go close to winning this year’s Championship title, but he is relishing the prospect of a “big challenge” at the Oval.

Chapple is not the only person who expects Surrey to enjoy a good season in four-day cricket, with many pundits tipping them for a first Championship title success since 2002.

“It will be a big challenge for us,” said the former all-rounder. “Surrey were already a decent team, they’ve added to that, and they’ve started like a house on fire.

“I would expect Surrey to be up there come the end of the season. We’ve just got to play better than them.”

This will be Lancashire’s second successive away game to start the campaign, although that does not faze Chapple.

“I suppose if anything, and I said this last week, there’s a better chance of getting early season good weather if you play down south. In that respect, we know we’ve got a good chance of playing four days of cricket, and that’s what you want to do.”

With all-rounder Zafar Ansari and fast bowler Stuart Meaker missing out on selection for the final XI last week – there is once again strong competition in the squad to make the final side.
Full Surrey Squad

Gareth Batty (captain)
Zafar Ansari
Scott Borthwick
Rory Burns
Sam Curran
Tom Curran
Jade Dernbach
Ben Foakes (WK)
Mark Footitt
Stuart Meaker
Kumar Sangakkara
Dominic Sibley
Mark Stoneman

Lancashire Squad

Liam Livingstone (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jordan Clark, Alex Davies, Haseeb Hameed, Kyle Jarvis, Simon Kerrigan, Saqib Mahmood, Ryan McLaren, Stephen Parry, Luke Procter, Dane Vilas.

Mac's view

A tough game for the Red Rose against a team who will be challening for the title, they had a good win against Warwickshire and have a very strong side, whereas we have to make do without Anderson who according to the ECB needs a rest, also without Croft who is injured therefore Livingstone is captain for the first time will be interesting to see if he is a bit more proactive than Croft who can be a bit negative as is the Coach but that is just me having a whinge.
Should bat first given we should have choice on the toss, cannot see us bowling them out twice, so best result is a draw.

[themaclad]

From an unpromising 67-5 and 122-6 to end the day 294-6 from 79 overs is excellent, Jordan Clark with a maiden ton on 108 and Chanderpaul grinding it out in his usual style with 85 not out, still need another 100 or so to give ourselves a chance against a stong Surrey batting line up. Footitt with 3-90 the main wicket taker. Hameed warmed up for the test series with a second ball duck.

[themaclad]

Lancs 470 Surrey 112-2

Clark with a career best 140 and Chanderpaul making 182 his 74th century it won't have been spectacular but it will have been quality, he has taken away Gooch's record of being the oldest player to score a century in the County Championship. Footitt took another five wickets so a really ood start to the season for the England prospect.
Lancs got Borthwick with the last ball of the day after Stoneman had gone for 40, Clark and Jarvis taking the wickets, think draw is favourite though depends on how many they rack up tomorrow.

[themaclad]

Lancs 470
Surrey 319 and 46-1

Probably the best day of the season so far for the Red Rose getting Surrey to follow on, apart from Burns who made 91 nobody made 50, three wickets for Parry and two for Kerrigan indcate that the wicket is taking spin which given fair weather should make for an interesting day tomorrow. Chance of a surprise win.

[themaclad]

Lancashire 470
Surrey 319 and 323-3 dec

Quality from Sangakara 136 and a Borthwick ton 108 not out deny us victory but that nagging feeling that we cannot bowl sides out twice is going to cost us this season. Home match next will be going on day three.

[themaclad]

Lancashire v Somerset @ Old Trafford 21/4/2017 to 24/4/2017

The last four day match before a months worth of Royal London Cup matches take on Somerset who were denied their first County Championship on the last day of the season when Toby Roland-Jones took a hat trick to finish of those hapless Yorkies to give Middlesex the title.
They started the season losing to newly promoted Essex on their ever so slightly doctored wicket down by the Tone in Taunton (Ciderabad) They also will probably get first use of the strip of concrete that will be the wicket at Old Trafford.
No teams news although Croft has fractured his thumb and is out for three weeks but Anderson is available to play for the Red Rose thanks to the ECB who said he can. No Buttler for the Red Rose as he is playing pub cricket in India.
Somerset's success last season was based on spin with Leach taking 65 wickets, Trescothick as per normal got most runs just over 1200.
I will be attending on day three so may even do a match blog hopefully it will be moderately warm but this is Manchester you're talking about.

[jjamez]

Like that ciderabad!
Leach has had his action reconstructed, and at the moment he isn't looking as potent a weapon as he was last season. It'll be interesting to see if kerrigan plays or if perry plays. Croft was also injured for the last game so lilley may continue, which would also raise the question as in if two spinners are required

[themaclad]

Was a well used term last season sadly cannot take credit for it

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JJamez think they will play two but OT's wickets tend to flatten out and best thing to bowl is explosives

[jjamez]

Obviously they wont play both kerrigan and parry. Is that young leggie still there?