SOMERSET V SURREY at Taunton (CC1), 3-6 JULY 2002

Although Surrey have not lost to Somerset in the championship for more than four years, the Oval outfit have not managed a victory at Taunton since the introduction of four-day cricket in 1988.  Their last success was in 1986, when Sylvester Clarke (5-31) dismissed the home side for 166 after a target of 345 in 95 overs had been engineered.

When these two sides last met back in May, Somerset appeared to be the team most likely to challenge Surrey for the Division One title.  Now the Cidermen - who finished second last season - are one of the bottom of the table, while last year's county champions, Yorkshire, are 17.50 points adrift.

On the basis that eight wins appears to be enough to clinch the title, the onus is firmly on Somerset.  However, without Caddick, Cox, Johnson and Trescothick it is difficult picking a match-winner.  Ian Blackwell has been a thorn in the Ovalites' side of late, making 348 runs at an average of 69.60 in the last three Surrey-Somerset encounters, and Peter Bowler has a good record against the visitors going back to his Derbyshire days.

With the ball, however, the home side look particularly frail.  Apart from Steffan Jones (12 wickets at 26.91 runs apiece), nobody else is averaging below thirty; except Caddick and Johnson, but they are both injured.  Matthew Bulbeck has got through a lot of overs this summer, but is yet to take a five-fer, and Blackwell has only been used when runs are at a premium.

Surrey's form batsmen Alistair Brown and Ian Ward have not enjoyed a great deal of success against the west countrymen.  Mark Ramprakash has, though, despite making just 1 and 7 at the AMP Oval in May.  He has never been on the losing side against Somerset in the championship and averages 60.58 against tomorrow's opponents.

The sun has rarely shone on recent Surrey-Somerset encounters and the weather forecast suggests that this one is unlikely to buck that trend.  If there is an eventual winner, however, it can only be Adam Hollioake's men who, it seems, can cover for injuries and international calls better than anyone else. 

Adam Hollioake is set to make his first championship appearance of the season, as could Tim Murtagh if Rikki Clarke's medium pacers are seen as a risky option.  That would appear unlikely, though, with Jonathan Batty being promoted to open and the absence of Tudor and Bicknell, the lower middle order could do with 'Rocka' coming in at seven.

M Wood, P Holloway, M Burns (capt), P Bowler, K Parsons, I Blackwell, R Turner (wk), K Dutch, S Francis, M Bulbeck and S Jones.

24-27 May 2002	Match Drawn	The Oval
23-26 Aug 2001	Match Drawn	Taunton
6-9 Jun 2001	Won By 7 Wickets	The Oval
14-16 Jun 2000	Won By An Innings & 213 Runs	The Oval
26-20 Apr 2000	Match Drawn	Taunton
26-29 May 1999	Won By 7 Wickets	The Oval
21-24 May 1998	Lost By 165 Runs	Taunton
23-25 Apr 1997	Match Drawn	Taunton
2-6 May 1996	Match Drawn	Taunton
8-12 Jun 1995	Lost By 5 Wickets	The Oval
16-20 Jun 1994	Lost By 317 Runs	Bath
26-30 Aug 1993	Lost By 281 Runs	The Oval
31 Aug - 3 Sep 1992	Match Drawn	The Oval
19-22 Jun 1992	Lost By 9 Wickets	Bath

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