2010 County Preview: Surrey

2009 in a nutshell

Surrey, seemingly drifting from one ignominious low to the next in recent seasons, managed to hit a new nadir. They won just one Championship game all season - and indeed over the last two campaigns. Mark Butcher’s sad mid-season retirement led to Stewart Walters, who had a first-class batting average of under 20, being awarded the captaincy, and he responded with two centuries. But the batting remained far too dependent upon Usman Afzaal and the imperious Mark Ramprakash, though Michael Brown and Chris Schofield averaged in the mid-30s in the Championship. The less said about the bowling, utterly toothless once Andre Nel was injured, the better. In limited-overs, Surrey were equally dire, winning just seven of their 26 games. As Chris Adams recognised, things had to change.

Standout stats

90.00 - Mark Ramprakash’s average in 2009

22.92 - The average cost of Chris Schofield’s 25 one-day wickets in 2009

1 - Number of times Surrey’s bowling attack has taken twenty wickets in a game in the last 31

Winter wonderland?

No county has been busier than Surrey as Chris Adams sought to rebuild his squad after the wreckage of the last campaign. Incredibly, he identified Rory Hamilton-Brown, 22 and with just experience of just eight first-class games, to be the new permanent skipper. Hamilton-Brown is a brilliantly clean striker of the ball and useful off-spinner who has spent the winter on tour with the England Lions, and impressed Adams sufficiently when both were at Sussex for him to label Hamilton-Brown a future England captain. He was joined from Sussex by Piyush Chawla, who will be the overseas player, providing the BCCI do not rescind their No Objection Certificate. Given the autocratic manner in which they are prone to behave, who knows?

Highly-regarded wicket-keeper Steven Davies replaced outgoing club stalwart Jon Batty, while namesake Gareth returned to Surrey, somewhat bafflingly. James Benning, after years of failing to live up to his biling as Ali Brown’s heir, departed to try and fulfill his promise at Leicestershire, one of nine players to depart in an overdue mass-clearout.

Perhaps the best signing was the most recent, Chris Tremlett, whose height and bounce are well-suited to The Oval. Like so many of his team-mates, he has a big point to prove.

Key man

Runs from Ramps are rather taken as a given, and the key to getting promoted will be to take twenty wickets. Much will therefore be expected of Indian all-rounder Piyush Chawla. Just 21, the leg-spinner has already taken 247 first-class wickets. When he was 17, he famously snared Sachin Tendulkar with his devilish googly - one which helped to account for 36 batsmen in just six games for Sussex last season. If Surrey get promoted, fans will have a lot to thank the Chawla googly for.

Rising star

The star may have been stalling more than rising last campaign, but Chris Jordan remains an immensely exciting prospect. Boasting a correct batting technique and hitting the high 80s with his bowling, the 21-year-old Jordan has all the attributes to play international cricket, if he can only find consistency.

Foreign legion

Chawla will occupy the overseas duties after he has finished playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, with Pakistan quick Rao Iftikhar Anjum looking to exploit the early-season pitches beforehand. As yet, no second overseas man has been signed for the Twenty20 Cup.

Captain and coach

Chris Adams’ official title is manager, rather than coach. His first season was disastrous, but he always said he needed time, so time he must be given. In local boy Hamilton-Brown, who returned to the county he left in 2007, Adams identified the man he believes will make Surrey the “team of the decade”. Hamilton-Brown faces extraordinary responsibility - not since the days of the amateur-player divide has a man with so little experience led the county. And he wasn’t even born when his best player, Ramprakash, made his first-class debut.

2010 prospects

Surrey undoubtedly begin this season in much better strength than they ended the last. In Ramprakash, Afzaal, Davies, Chawla, Tremlett and Nel, they have a series of proven performers who must feel they belong in the first division. A worry is the opening batting, where it is unclear who will partner Brown, but the real question marks concern the bowling attack.

If Chawla can reproduce the form he showed for Sussex and Nel and Tremlett remain fully fit, then promotion appears eminently attainable. With Davies a formidable limited-overs opener at county level, their performances in the short versions of the game should also see improvement, though real progress looks unlikely. Most fundamentally of all, Hamilton-Brown must justify the enormous faith shown in him by taking care of his own performances. If he does so, 2010 could mark the beginning of a Surrey resurgence.

2008 Season Preview: Surrey

Continuing our county previews, here is an assesment of Surrey's chances in 2008.

2007 in a Nutshell:
Surrey initially looked out of their depth, losing four and winning none of their first seven Championship games - and it would have been even worse had Mark Butcher and Matt Nicholson not batted over 20 overs together to scrape a draw against Worcestershire. Their bowling attack was totally bereft of penetration, but the mid-term additions of Harbhajan Singh and Chris Jordan gave them the tools to bowl sides out. Mark Ramprakash was phenomenal yet again, culminating in twin hundreds as they secured a flattering fourth-placed finish on the final day. The limited-overs competitions were all deeply frustrating, as Surrey thrice crumbled when on the verge of advancing.
Full season review

2008 Prospects
Surrey were busier than most over the winter and much will depend on how their new recruits fare. They have totally revamped their bowling line-up and will almost certainly begin the season with a completely different attack to 12 months ago. Nayan Doshi left mid-way last season, joined by veteran Ian Salisbury. Rikki Clarke finally accepted he would not realise his potential at The Oval, and it will be intriguing to see how he fares as Derby skipper. Pakistani star Mohammad Asif was signed to spearhead their Championship push, but his deal has now been cancelled and Surrey will have to make do with steady Matt Nicholson instead. West Indian Pedro Collins should prove a shrewd recruit too, while club legend Saqlain Mushtaq faces the onerous task of replacing Harbhajan. With the mercurial Usman Afzaal signed to shore up the middle-order, and a series of promising youngsters, Surrey will begin the season with a better squad then they ended the last campaign given the limit on overseas players.

As such, they will expect to finish in mid-table, while making a renewed tilt at the limited-overs competitions. Promotion from the Pro40 is expected; progress beyond the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 and Friends Provident Trophy less so.

Batting:
Surrey's batting was top-heavy to say the least last campaign. There are few more startling statistics than the fact there was just a solitary score over 70 made by any member of the side outside the top four over the 15 games.

The peerless Mark Ramprakash broke history in averaging 100 for the second consecutive season, but his team-mates must do more in support of him and the dependable pair of Butcher and Jon Batty. It is a big season for Scott Newman, who disappointed in the Championship but broke through, belatedly and spectacularly, in the one-day game. Afzaal's flamboyant strokeplay will surely improve the middle-order, as well as the one-day side. But Ali Brown must prove he is not being retained out of mere sentiment after struggling even in Twenty20 last season; James Benning must bounce back from his poor campaign; and youngsters Stewart Walters (who is nearly 25) and Laurie Evans will be given opportunities to establish themselves.

Bowling:
With no star overseas bowler, it will require a real team effort to collect 20 wickets. Expect the admirable Nicholson to perform similarly to last campaign when he snared 44 wickets at 29. Collins is a canny left-arm swing bowler and could prove surprisingly effective, while much - possibly too much - is expected of the exciting Jordan in his first full campaign. Keeping the unfit and injury-prone James Ormond may well prove a flagrant waste of club funds, while Jade Dernbach will look to build on a fine end to last season and Neil Saker admirably rejected offers to go out on loan. Both the main spinners are something of an unknown quantity, having played very little first-class cricket in the last few years; there is also Pakistani off-spinner Murtaza Hussain, who has an outstanding first-class record and did well at the end of last season. Only one member of the potential first-choice attack - Nicholson - has played more than ten championship games in the past three campaigns, indicative of how difficult the attack's strength is to gauge.

Probable side:
Championship
Newman
Batty
Ramprakash
Butcher
Afzaal
Benning (Brown/Walters)
Nicholson
Schofield (Ormond/Dernbach/Murtaza)
Jordan
Saqlain
Collins

Aside from whether Ramps can average 100 yet again, the big questions lie in the bowling. Can Chris Schofield maintain his one-day form while building on match figures of 8/139 in his last Championship game? And can Saqlain Mushtaq rediscover his brilliance of the turn of the century? If both answers are resoundingly positive, Surrey could find themselves with one of the most varied and exciting attacks in the division, possessing a left-arm swinger (Collins), a tall 'hit-the-deck' bowler (Nicholson), a young and quick rising star (Jordan), a leg-spinner (Schofield) and an off-spinner (Saqlain). Otherwise getting 20 wickets consistently will prove beyond them.

One-day and Twenty20
Benning
Newman
Ramprakash/Butcher
Afzaal
Brown
Batty
Schofield
Nicholson
Jordan
Saqlain
Collins

Expect Surrey to continue with their policy of rotating Ramprakash and Butcher in limited-overs games. If they are truly serious about the Twenty20 then Butcher, who averaged only 8 in the competition last season, should not play in it. Dernbach, after claiming 5/43 in a Pro40 game, will get plenty of one-day chances.

Key Man:
The astonishing Mark Ramprakash is obviously essential, but Surrey need to pose more of a wicket-taking threat to avoid last season's relegation worries: without Harbhajan's intervention, even Ramps's runs would not have saved them. On the spin-friendly Oval track, another off-spinner, Saqlain Mushtaq, will not match the exploits of '99 and 2000, when he took a total of 125 wickets at less than 14. But, rejuvenated by a year with Mustaq Ahmed, during which he took 18 wickets at under 20, he needs to win Surrey some matches to ensure they do not slip into the bottom two. Amazingly, he is just 31 and, with the doosra heading his box of tricks, a Mushie-esque resurrection is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Rising Star:
The choice will win no prizes for originality, but the then 18-year-old Chris Jordan made a spectacular impact in helping revive Surrey's fortunes. With 20 Championship wickets at 24 and 13 Pro40 wickets at 20, it was hard not to be impressed by his pace, accuracy, cricketing maturity and raw enthusiasm. Though he did not always show it, he can bat too. The second season is notoriously difficult for bright young things, however, and it is crucial Jordan is well-managed.

Captain and Coach:
The two Butchers did not always convince last season, and there is a feeling that certain senior players - Ormond and possibly Brown - are very fortunate to remain at the club for the 2008 season. Butcher junior, aided by vice-skipper Ramprakash, is undoubtedly tactically astute. But fundamental questions remain, especially over why youngsters often shine briefly only to falter. Surrey need Chris Jordan to end this trend and help them towards a season of upwardly mobile consolidation.

Can England still progress?

It’s a new format, perhaps, but England’s performance at this World Cup is much the same as their efforts in the recent 50-over ones. Above all, they struggled – just as they did in the Caribbean – with maximising the fielding restrictions.

Their policy to use Twenty20 specialists has been much discussed. I was in favour of it, but expressed reservations about the selection of Luke Wright. Wright is a potentially exciting talent but lacks the technique and experience to open against international bowlers, and it was rather perverse to promote him after a pair of failures at number three. Mark Ramprakash, in stunning form, inventive and highly effective in Twenty20, and with technical prowess, should surely have gone; with hindsight so should Ian Bell, although, when the squad was selected, he in no way merited selection. Of course, the man who could have made a real difference, and is a true match for Hayden, Gayle and Gibbs, is Marcus Trescothick.

Either way, England are stuck with Wright, Matt Prior, Vikram Solanki and Darren Maddy. Prior, as he proved yet again today, is not an international opening batsmen; his trademark is run-a-ball 20s which, in Twenty20, is simply not fast enough. By process of elimination as much as anything else, I would advocate opening with Solanki and Maddy. They have enjoyed success in this form of the game over its five seasons, and also possess huge experience. Certainly, however, Kevin Pietersen should be at number three.

With the ball, England have been a little better. Had Paul Collingwood caught Albie Morkel, Chris Schofield would not have been clobbered for three sixes and would have returned excellent figures, so it would be unfair to criticise him. On the positive side, Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff were very good against South Africa, only to be let down by some abysmal catching that cost England the game.

So England find themselves in a familiar position in World Cups: they are on the verge of an early exit unless they can get their act together and win consecutive games. Ultimately, England probably lack the big-hitting skills necessary to win the tournament, but they were not helped by the truly inexplicable decision to bat Snape ahead of Mascarenhas. As per usual in shorter cricket, England are tremendously reliant on Kevin Pietersen. But if they are to progress, their opening pair must contribute far more.

How can England progress to the semi-finals? Is this the best side: Maddy, Solanki, Pietersen, Collingwood, Shah, Flintoff, Mascarenhas, Prior, Schofield, Broad, Anderson

A job well done

England’s selectors are so often lambasted that it is only fair to give them credit after picking a Twenty20 World Cup squad bursting to the rim with specialists. Darren Maddy, Jeremy Snape and James Kirtley are each highly unlikely to play any more one-day internationals for England, but they are shrewd Twenty20 players, and will offer England much more than James Anderson, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Monty Panesar would in this form of the game. Chris Schofield and Luke Wright, meanwhile, will hope selection proves the springboard for other national honours.

The winning skipper on Twenty20 finals day, Rob Key, made an astute point when asking whether good Twenty20 Cup players had the necessary class to excel against the world’s best. However, the trio of Maddy, Snape and Kirtley have proved they are excellent players in this form of the game who, one would think, have the skills to do well internationally. The great gambles are Wright and the rejuvenated Schofield, two players selected solely on their performances in this season’s competition. Schofield, with 17 wickets at 8.82 (and an economy rate of just 6) is a worthy selection, especially given his ability to improvise with the bat in the final overs; Wright is perhaps a little luckier considering that, during his innings of 103 and 98 in this season’s competition, the highest calibre bowler he faced was Yasser Arafat.

Of those who did not make it, the unluckiest is surely Mal Loye, who has an outstanding Twenty20 record and played some exhilarating cameos in the CB Series; he would have been a fine replacement for Trescothick. Key and Mark Ramprakash have mixed big shots with nous, to great effect, in this form of the game and had merit over Wright and possibly Vkram Solanki, though he is a marvellous fielder, attractive batsman and worthy selection.

With the ball, England look to have got it just right. Their two spinners are better suited to this format than Monty Panesar, and are also very useful batsmen; the all-too-hittable James Anderson has surprisingly been omitted; and it is very hard to argue with the four seamers, with the inclusion of Chris Tremlett’s bounce and consistency a clear indicator he is part of Peter Moores’ long-term plans. Kirtley has bowled expertly at the death for Sussex this campaign, although forgotten man Jon Lewis, so impressive on finals day and with an exemplary ODI record, is hugely unfortunate to have been overlooked for both the Twenty20 and one-day squads.

Put simply, this is a very good squad which gives England the best possible chance of taking advantage of having played more domestic Twenty20 than anyone else, although the management’s lack of coherent thinking is impossible to ignore: the games against the West Indies would have been most useful for gauging the specialists' international suitability. The only real gripe, in fact, is that there is the faintest whiff of home bias on Moores’ part. Wright and Kirtley were borderline selections; but Matt Prior is undeserving of the wicket-keeping job ahead of Paul Nixon and Tim Ambrose.

My line-up (from the 15):
Maddy, Prior, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Flintoff, Bopara, Schofield, Broad, Sidebottom and Tremlett with Solanki, Wright, Snape and Kirtley in reserve

Who is England's second best spinner?

With a winter tour to Sri Lanka looming large, who are the candidates to join Monty Panesar on the plane?

Adil Rashid
After taking 6-67 on debut to bowl Yorkshire to victory, Adil Rashid was catapulted into the spotlight as England’s next great spinning hope. When it became apparent that he also possessed significant batting aptitude (he often bats at six for his county), people began talking of a “Spintoff”, capable of both taking five-fers with his leg-spin and scoring Test hundreds. The hype has since died down a little, especially after a mauling at the hands of Tendulkar for England Lions, but Rashid has continued to play a big role in Yorkshire’s championship push, while earning praise from even Shane Warne. He seems certain to play for England one day; but, at this stage, would he be better off with the A team?

Chris Schofield
Schofield’s selection in England’s preliminary Twenty20 World Cup squad was viewed as an enormous surprise, but it should not have been. In the domestic competition, he bowled with guile, accuracy, nerve and variation, with his quicker ball proving particularly effective, to claim 17 wickets at just nine. But, though very good in all one-day cricket this season, Schofield proved less effective in first-class cricket. If he is to eventually earn an England Test recall, it will only be after establishing himself in the limited overs side.

Jamie Dalrymple
Dalrymple fared well initially for England in ODIs, after making his first appearance last summer, scoring two excellent 50s and bowling his off-spin with immense control, and almost made his Test debut at Sydney this year. However, since then, he has regressed alarmingly, losing his one-day place after not doing enough with either bat or ball, and enduring an awful start to this first-class season. His temperament was certainly impressive; but it seems doubtful in the extreme he could worry good Test batsmen.

Gareth Batty
Batty has played seven Tests and ODIs but, though he has batted with great guts, especially against Muralitharan, his off-spin has never remotely come close to being threatening, as Brian Lara illustrated en route to his Test record score of 400. He is just 29, and has a feisty, combative temperament in the Paul Collingwood mould, yet, with his performances for Worcestershire unspectacular, England will surely opt to look elsewhere.

Ian Blackwell
In 2005/06, Blackwell bowled his left-arm spin tremendously in the sub-continent, and was comfortably England’s best one-day bowler of the winter; but injury prevented him cementing his position in the side thereafter. However, for all his one-day guile, Blackwell has rarely been effective with the ball in county cricket, and was unthreatening in his only Test. His batting has proved mightily effective in the first-class game – he averages 38 – yet he has batted woefully in his 34 ODIs. Additionally, his less-than-enthusiastic approach to fitness will also count against him.

Graeme Swann
Swann played a solitary ODI seven years ago, but disappointed the management team with a number of off-field indiscretions. However, at 28, he is now a much more mature cricketer – and person - and has benefited from a move to Notts, whom he helped to win the 2005 championship. In his years in the international wilderness, Swann’s off-spin gained more consistency, while his capacity to generate marked turn is not in doubt. Moreover, he is also an elegant batsman who could certainly make a good Test number eight, and has opened to great effect in the one-day game.

Gareth Keedy
Keedy can consider himself very unfortunate not to have played a Test; perhaps only his status as a batting rabbit has prevented him. He took 132 first-class wickets in 2003 and ’04, and must have pushed Giles close, but, at 32, he now looks highly unlikely to play. With England being loathe to play two left-arm spinners of limited batting ability, his best chance of selection would be in the event of a injury to Monty Panesar.

Ashley Giles
Giles, an important team man during England’s 2004-05 run of success, has suffered terribly with injuries since, and himself admits he may never play professional cricket again. He was totally ineffectual in his only two Tests since, in Australia, where he infamously dropped Ricky Ponting. At 34, and having not played all season, it seems unlikely in the extreme he will play for his country again.

The Verdict
A lot depends on the candidates' form for the remainder of the campaign but, if I had to pick a squad now, I would take Schofield for the ODIs and Swann and Rashid for the Tests.

In it to win it

Chris Schofield’s call-up to England’s Twenty20 squad should be little surprise, for he has been outstanding in this season’s competition. He took more wickets than anyone else – 17 – in the group stages at an average of 9. But, to those remembering his long-hop infested youth, the most impressive thing was an economy rate of just 6. He has bowled with guile, accuracy, nerve and variation, with his quicker ball proving particularly effective.

While it is unlikely he will make the cut, Schofield deserves to be selected in the final squad, along with Jeremy Snape, ahead of Monty Panesar. Panesar appears too predictable in this form of the game, as his economy rate from seven games – 8.39 – reflects. Moreover, Snape and Schofield are both very useful batsmen, who could bat at eight for England. If Schofield were to play and do well then, bearing in mind his 13 Friends Provident Trophy wickets at 19, he would then have an excellent chance of ODI honours.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether the inclusion of specialists like the two spinners, Darren Maddy, Mal Loye, Luke Wright and Mark Pettini proves deceptive; many still fear that players like Ian Bell and Alistair Cook, with no credentials in this form of the game, will still win selection ahead of them. It is excellent news, though, that Marcus Trescothick is in the 30-man squad (although it is unclear whether he can yet play); along with Flintoff and Pietersen, he could give England three proven hitters as good as any around.

The selectors do deserve credit for ignoring the claims of James Benning. He is continually trumpeted in the media, but his lack of foot movement would be found out by international bowlers, even in this form of the game. However, to omit many of the veterans who have proved so successful in this form of the game, particularly Mark Ramprakash, Mark Ealham and even Darren Gough, is frankly self-defeating.

The simple truth is the Twenty20 World Cup is there to be won – it is surely of at least equal prestige to the Champions Trophy – and England must pick many of the specialists they have named in this squad. They have played more domestic Twenty20 cricket than any other nation and there is no excuse for, at the very least, reaching the semi-finals. A XI picked from the players in this squad could be:
Trescothick, Loye, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Flintoff, Nixon, Bopara, Schofield, Broad, Sidebottom with Maddy, Snape, Mascarenhas and Anderson in reserve

Who would you pick for the Twenty20 World Cup? Leave your views below.

Surrey hint at a resurgance

Surrey’s season has been dire: they went without a win in their seven County Championship games, missed out on qualification in the Friends Provident Trophy and, after losing their last three games, even failed to progress in the Twenty20 Cup for the first time. Yet, after a much-needed first Championship win, over Durham, there is now renewed optimism the club can salvage something from a miserable campaign and stay up in Division One.

Mind the Gap
After cruising to promotion last season, Surrey were soon reminded of the increasing gulf in class between the two divisions; like fellow promoted side Worcestershire, they quickly slipped into the relegation zone. Their problems were manifold. Many pundits had predicted Surrey would score many runs; but they were terribly prone to collapse, overly dependent on their top four and especially the ever-fantastic Mark Ramprakash. The middle-order trio of James Benning, Ali Brown and Rikki Clarke barely contributed a run. Meanwhile, their seam bowling continued – as it has for many years – to lack any penetration; and, unlike last season, their spinners, though good in one-day cricket, were unable to make any impact in the four-day game, with Ian Salisbury looking like a man edging towards retirement. In truth, they looked a side simply not good enough to survive in Division One.

They have only won one game, of course, but it was a most encouraging win against a Durham side including an on-song Steve Harmison. Stewart Walters played a tremendous innings of 70 in the first innings, illustrating the confidence and ability to take on top bowlers – including Harmison – but also good technique and shot selection. It was his first Championship game of the season, in place of the sadly declining Brown, and he is now deserving of an extended run in the side. As Surrey pursued their target of 153 against a fierce onslaught from Harmison, Clarke, averaging 12 before this game, played a decisive counter-attacking knock of 68*, the sort that can kick-start seasons.

Matt Nicholson, a highly competent if uninspiring choice as overseas player, was terrific; bowling just back-of-a-length, he was both consistent and incisive, claiming match figures of 7-81. Harbhajan Singh, wisely signed to replace the ineffectual Azhar Mahmood, bowled reasonably – and, as he gets more overs under his belt, he will be expected to win Surrey games on the flat Oval track. However, he was eclipsed by Chris Schofield, who bowled with flight, accuracy and variations – his quicker ball claimed the wicket of Paul Wiseman.

Schofield's rejuvination
Schofield, though he has done little in the Championship, has been a rare bright spot for Surrey this season, netting 13 wickets at 19 in the Friends Provident Trophy, as well as scoring an excellent 75* against Hampshire, and taking 17 wickets at 9 in the Twenty20 Cup, with an economy rate of just 6. He has bowled with such guile and cool under presure that he was selected in England's initial 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup; and Schofield’s performance against Durham suggests he can transform this form into the Championship, where his spin partnership with Harbhajan could well be crucial.

Problems still remain, most notably in the seam department; save for Nicholson, who will get the wickets? Jade Dernbach offers almost nothing to the side – they would be better off selecting another batsman; the erratic Neil Saker took five wickets at Old Trafford and is probably worth persevering with; Clarke has pace but still bowls far too short; and James Ormond seems permanently injured. One option could be to recall the languid Mohammad Akram – he was very impressive in the FP Trophy and the veteran should, at least, bring a little more control.

After their win over Durham, Surrey now lie just ten points inside the relegation zone. Clearly, they need to find real consistency, but there are promising signs they have turned the corner – and, in Walters, they may just have found the batsman to boost their middle order. But, regardless of how well they bat – and whether Ramprakash can continue his awe-inspiring form of the past 18 months – the key to survival patently lies in whether they can bowl the opposition out twice. To do this, they will need Nicholson to produce more performances like that against Durham, and for the other seamers to improve. But, as the end of the season nears, the onus will be on their spinners – Schofield, perhaps Doshi or Salisbury and, above all, Harbhajan.

Schofield back from cricketing oblivion

Chris Schofield, briefly the great English spin hope, will, at least, be playing in county cricket next season. Surrey, whom he served well in the last month of the season, have given him a year’s contract.

Fighting for a county contract represents a huge comedown for Schofield, awarded an England debut and central contract at just 21. But he now has one, after two years of second team games, minor county appearances and unrelenting frustration. His career with Lancashire began enormously promisingly but, by 2004, he had become a number six batsman and very occasional leg-spin bowler.

Though it is clear Schofield has not realised his potential with the ball, he deserves credit for extracting every ounce of talent he has with the bat. Idiosyncratic and innovative, he is really a number seven rather than number six, but his style makes him immensely frustrating for the opposition. His average of 30 in first-class cricket is testament to the fact he can justifiably call himself an all-rounder. Although he has never made a century from 71 games, the 28-year-old scores a fifty in less than every five innings. Indeed, it was his thrilling 95 during Surrey’s incredible end-of-season final day run chase at Gloucestershire (they ultimately held onto a draw at 471-9) that must have been crucial in the board’s decision to award him a contract.

But it is Schofield’s bowling that has let him down. After being picked after just one full seasons for Lancashire, he did not bowl in his first Test, a crushing victory over Zimbabwe. In his second, he contributed a typically unorthodox 57; but his 18 overs were far too inconsistent and went for 73. In international terms, that was that; his unceremonious axing is often given as a reason for his alarming decline.

Yet, ironically, David Lloyd wanted to give him his international debut even earlier. So taken was he by Schofield’s raw talent and sharp turn that he was in favour of giving the player his England debut in the Fifth Test against Australia in 1999, when he had just two first-class appearances to his name.

From then on, his decline has been dramatic. A loss of form and confidence soon became something far more terminal; as the seasons went by, he had to reinvent himself as a batsman who could bowl and, by his final season, his leg-spin had become a non-entity.

Schofield, however, blames the decline on a lack of overs; for a spinner, rhythm is everything, so perhaps he does have a point. Then again, his bowling was fast becoming a liability – could Lancashire be blamed for their reluctance to throw the ball to him?

Although clearly pushed into the international spotlight too soon, it is easy to see why the English selectors, so desperate for their own Shane Warne, decided to select him. For Schofield has an intrinsic grasp of the art of leg-spin, as even Warne has acknowledged; he is an English spinner that genuinely turns the ball. The problem is that Schofield, even in his generally uplifting performances for Surrey to date, bowls too many full tosses and long-hops. Part of Warne’s brilliance, after all, comes in his ability to tie the batsman down.

An international recall – which he professes is still possible – is pure fantasy, but at least a bowler of Schofield’s talent is no longer honing his art in the backwaters of the English game. Admittedly, he will probably start the 2007 campaign as Surrey’s third-choice spinner, behind Nayan Doshi and veteran fellow leg-spinner Ian Salisbury. But his ability with the bat and Surrey’s refreshing willingness to play three spinners means he should have ample opportunity to forget his tumultuous exit from Old Trafford.

2007 Season Preview: Surrey

2006 in a Nutshell:
Surrey’s chief objective in 2006 was to return to Division One of the County Championship. In that, they succeeded magnificently. Led by the Butcher father-son coaching side, Surrey were a united side once more and, in Mark Ramprakash, had a fantastic batsman in the form of his life. Though Surrey’s first-class form was peerless, their one-day side showed few signs of improvement, subsiding meekly on Twenty20 finals day and doing little of note in the other two competitions. Overall, 2006 was a big step in the right direction.
See the Surrey 2006 Season Review

2007 Prospects
Batting:
Surrey have perhaps the finest first-class batting unit in county cricket; although the bowling in Division One will be more challenging this campaign, they should regularly post scores in excess of 400 in the first innings.

Scott Newman is a fine, burly left-handed stroke maker, but has rather trodden water in the last few campaigns. Last season, he hit 10 Championship scores of 50 but reached only one century. Opening alongside him will be the ever-dependable Jon Batty, mentioned in dispatches as the next England wicket keeper. Surrey’s real strength, though, is at numbers three and four; where former England batsmen Ramprakash and Mark Butcher hit 13 first-class hundreds last campaign. Ramprakash, with his unerring professionalism, exemplary technique and aesthetically pleasing stroke-play, remains the most sought-after wicket on the circuit.

Alistair Brown will continue to attack tiring bowling line-ups in his fearless style, while his heir apparent James Benning will seek to transfer his exhilarating one-day form into the Championship arena, though opportunities will be limited. Rikki Clarke is becoming a very fine batsman, particularly in the four-day game – he averaged 64 last season – while Azhar Mahmood can transform games from number seven. Also look out for the exciting young batting all-rounder Stewart Walters, particularly in the shorter versions of the game. Stolid opener Richard Clinton may feature in first-class cricket.

Bowling:
Spin emerged unexpectedly to the fore last campaign, with Surrey even fielding three spinners at times. Ian Salisbury and Nayan Doshi, bowling leg-spin and left-arm spin, both took at least 50 Championship wickets at 28, benefiting from the spin- conducive Oval rack. Chris Schofield was also awarded a late-season contract and, though his leg-spin remains inconsistent, he did enough to secure a new deal, aided by his useful, if idiosyncratic, batting.

However, seam bowling remains a huge worry, especially with the brilliant Martin Bicknell having retired. Much depends on the returning James Ormond, injured for almost all of last season. He is joined by the Australian Matt Nicholson, who has much experience but averaged only 32 for Northants last season. Surrey fans would have hoped for a more penetrating opening bowler. Pakistani duo Mohammad Akram and all-rounder Mahmood remain horribly unreliable, while Rikki Clarke’s bowling has potential – he can hit 85mph – but only accounted for 18 Championship wickets last campaign. Unless he can improve his bowling significantly, it is hard to envisage him returning to the England side; and, at 25, the time has come for performance to replace potential. With young quick Neil Saker also yet to convince, the fast bowling is patently a major Surrey weakness; if the spinners are unable to match their exploits of ’06, Surrey may have real difficulty collecting 20 wickets.

Probable Championship side:
Newman
Batty
Ramprakash
Butcher
Brown
Clarke
Mahmood
Nicholson
Salisbury
Ormond
Doshi

which leaves Clinton, Benning, Schofield and Akram - who may replace one of the spinners in seaming conditions - in reserve. Benning will replace Newman, or one of the senior batsmen, in the shorter versions of the game.

Overall the side looks good enough to achieve a comfortable Championship position. It perhaps lacks the necessary penetration to mount a genuine title push, unless Ormond, Nicholson and one of the spinners really catch fire, but the batting looks sufficiently strong and deep to allay relegation concerns.

Key Man:
Runs from Ramps are rather taken as a given so, with Surrey’s seam attack such a worry, the onus will fall on the returning Jimmy Ormond. Ormond has had near-constant injury worries of late but he is a tall swing bowler of proven class with over 400 first-class wickets, and two Test caps, to his name. At 29, he is far from over the hill; a reinvigorated Ormond would provide the fast bowling attack with much-needed penetration.

Rising Star:
Alistair Brown’s career is coming to an end but, in 23-year-old James Benning, Surrey have a ready-made replacement. As England’s one-day side stumbled from one humiliation to the next last summer, Benning, on the back of his exhilarating 189* in the C & G Trophy, was mentioned as a potential opener. In the shorter versions of the game, he is rapidly gaining in consistency and reputation. Despite an average of 37, however, he has yet to become a regular in the first-class game.

Captain and Coach:
Having moved away from the disastrous Steve Rixon era, Surrey entrusted their fortunes in the Butchers. They have succeeded in lifting spirits at The Oval, establishing an atmosphere more conducive to success. Thoughts now turn to Championship consolidation, a renewed tilt at the Twenty20 and some sort of improvement in their one-day fortunes.

2007 county previews home

Signs of a Surrey resurgence

2006 Season Review: Surrey

Last season, Surrey subsided pathetically in the County Championship, and suffered the embarrassing fate of relegation. The 2006 season, therefore, was fundamentally about being one of the two sides promoted from Division Two. In that task, Surrey succeeded magnificently.

The chief reason for this, clearly, was Mark Ramprakash. The 37-year-old enjoyed the season of his career; his textbook technique and ever eye-catching fluency earned 2278 runs at a superlative average of 103. Eight hundreds were amassed with ever-increasing inevitability. Despite falling eight runs short of a maiden triple century against Gloucestershire, Ramprakash soon ended his wait with 301* against Northants. The only shame was that his phenomenal season was not rewarded with a place on the Ashes tour.

Though Ramprakash’s sensational run of scores rightly stole the media attention, the father-son pair of Alan and Mark Butcher were crucial in righting the wrongs of the Steve Rixon era and setting the county back onto the right path. Butcher senior was a calm and supportive presence in the dressing room; Mark averaged almost 60 while skippering the side shrewdly.

Surrey’s fantastic batting talent was always likely to overwhelm Division Two bowling attacks. Rikki Clarke had by far his best campaign with the bat, averaging 64; but his bowling continues to infuriate and his meagre haul of 18 wickets in 11 games showed he is not even a genuine fourth seamer.

Alistair Brown was dropped early on in the season but, happily, turned his fortunes around to finish with five first-class centuries; Scott Newman was extremely consistent opening the batting. James Benning, meanwhile, enjoyed a highly encouraging season. His rampaging 189* in a C & G Trophy game even had pundits considering him a viable candidate to open the batting for England in one-day cricket. And the ever-reliable John Batty had another fine season.

Surrey’s batting was expected to prove decisive in their hunt for promotion; their band of spinners was certainly not. Nayan Doshi and Ian Salisbury took 113 wickets at 28 between them; the rehabilitation of Salisbury, seemingly in irreversible decline, was particularly gratifying. Anil Kumble came for only three games, but his 8-100 on a docile Oval pitch against Northants virtually secured promotion. The trio formed Surrey’s first spin triumvirate for nearly 50 years; they were such a success that, when Kumble left, Chris Schofield was recruited on a short-term deal. Though his control is in need of much work, the former England bowler deserved his new contract, especially given his innings of 95 in a thrilling draw at Bristol.

However, pace bowling remains a cause of much concern at the county. Evergreen Martin Bicknell played in just four games before retiring through injury; his 1000+ wickets at 23 make him one of Surrey’s finest ever players. Replacing him will certainly prove problematic, however. With Jimmy Ormond, the club’s best seamer, also hampered by injury, the pace-bowling attack was carried by Mohammad Akram and enigmatic all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.

Even more than usual, the County Championship was the key for Surrey in 2006. Predictably, results in the game’s shorter formats were disappointing. Their C & G campaign seemed doomed from the outset; an inexcusable batting collapse at Taunton cost them promotion in the Pro40 competition. Things were a little better in the Twenty20 Cup, but a woeful performance on Finals’ Day cost them the chance of claiming a second trophy. Surrey seem to lack a cohesive strategy in the shorter formats of the game; they are also let down by a lack of mobility in the field.

Despite their one-day disappointments, Surrey’s 2006 season hinted at a resurgence for the club; if they can sign a potent seamer, they certainly have a good chance of regaining the County Championship. With the Butchers at the helm, Surrey are a happier county and a stronger side.

Player of the season: Mark Ramprakash
Majestic strokeplay, unerring professionalism and new-found perspective saw Ramprakash become only the fifth man to complete a First Class English season averaging 100 or more. Throughout July and August he scored 150 runs or more in five consecutive Championship games – a unique achievement.

High
Successfully chasing 356, the highest score of the game, in the fourth innings at Somerset, despite being 129-4. A blistering 189-run stand between Clarke and Brown helped Surrey triumph in just the 72nd over.

Low
Bizarrely conspiring to lose four wickets in the first four overs of the Twenty20 semi-final, when Surrey had been odds-on to win.

In the build-up to the 2007 county season, we will feature county reviews for last season, previews for this and other features. Do email cricketingworld@hotmail.com if you would like to pen a piece on your county (or anything else).

Leg-spinners can be watch winners

Colin Croft analyses the handful of leg spinners hoping to give Duncan Fletcher a nudge

England fans could have been forgiven for blinking back their disbelief last Saturday as the burgeoning talent that is Monty Panesar spun England to a dramatic victory against Pakistan in the Second Test. His five victims were not tailenders either, mopped up cheaply on the boundary as they slogged away their wickets in a match long since lost. No, he bagged the entire top order, minus stand-in opener Kamran Akmal, including such renowned players of spin as Mohammed Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq. All this from a finger spinner for heaven’s sake, a supposed dying breed in Test cricket since the emergence of a certain bleached blonde Australian sent coaches worldwide scuttling off looking for a wrist spinner who could rip the ball a few feet rather than a few inches.

Of all cricket’s wide variety of skills, the dexterous art of leg spin bowling perhaps remains the most difficult to purvey, let alone to master. The emergence of a young wrist-spinning prospect commands immediate attention, but also generates tremendous pressure on the individual.

Ask Ian Salisbury or Chris Schofield. Salisbury burst onto the first class scene with 87 wickets in 1992 and was soon elevated to the Test team. But five wickets on debut against a strong Pakistan side sadly proved to be the highlight of an unfulfilling international career, as each big spinning leg break was followed by a long hop that disappeared to the boundary, eventually followed by Salisbury’s confidence. Schofield was centrally contracted for 2000, but after two wicketless Test outings and rumblings from the Red Rose County about a dislike for practice, he has tumbled rapidly into obscurity.

With the rapid emergence of a genuine slow left arm specialist in Panesar, it might now seem that the hunt for the fabled match winning leg spinner has suddenly become less of a cricketing holy grail. How ironic therefore that a handful of aspiring leg spinners are currently striving to make an impact on English First Class cricket.

Yorkshire’s Mark Lawson made his first class debut in 2004, following some promising performances for England Under 19’s and amid the usual hype that surrounds young leggies. But despite taking 5-62 on a turner at Scarborough, he has managed just 8 First Class matches as more senior colleagues, notably Richard Dawson, have done the twirling for the Tykes in recent seasons.

At just 20 years old, Lawson still has time on his side but ironically he could now be in danger of getting upstaged by a county colleague. On 21st July this year, Bradford born Adil Rashid returned an amazing 6-67 to bowl Yorkshire to an innings victory over Warwickshire. Clearly not satisfied with taking a wicket with his 8th delivery during the first innings, Rashid stunned the watching crowds by ripping out six of the top nine batsmen in the second. Not a bad effort for an 18-year-old on debut then.

Astonishing? Almost as much as the fact that Rashid had in fact been picked to bat at number six, following consecutive hundreds whilst opening the batting for the Second XI. He bats in the top six for England Under 19’s too. Having reportedly started bowling spin at the age of ten, Rashid could have a big future in front of him and his sessions with Australian bowling guru Terry Jenner, mentor to the incomparable Shane Warne, will doubtless help him on his way.

Another contender who can also boast batting potential is Simon Marshall of Lancashire. With height on his side at 6’ 3” and an action likened by some to Anil Kumble, Marshall also already has a first class ton to his name from his Cambridge University days. Scores of 39 versus Derbyshire and 47 off 25 balls against Durham in the Twenty20 cup this season offer further evidence of his batting ability. 12 wickets at an average of 15.5 and an economy rate barely above a run a ball, in a competition which renders most bowlers mere cannon fodder, completes the all round package.

Despite managing only two County Championship appearances thus far, another young leg spinning hopeful turned this years Varsity Match into something of a one man show. Nottingham born Mike Munday carried Oxford University to victory with match figures of 11-143, bowling almost 60 overs. His 49 first class wickets at an average under 30 speak volumes of a 21-year-old still learning so difficult an art. Whilst the short boundaries at Somerset’s Taunton ground may not be to an aspiring spinners liking, with Ian Blackwell injured and Dan Cullen’s stay proving a short one, Munday’s chance may come late in the season.

So whilst we marvel at Monty, a handful of members of cricket’s rarest club are waiting in the background. Let us hope they can be nurtured and that perhaps one or more of them can live with the burden of expectation successfully enough to become the next English spinning sensation.