SURREY V LANCASHIRE at the AMP Oval (NUL2), 12 MAY 2002

Although Somerset are threatening to field Marcus Trescothick and Andy Caddick in today's NUL encounter against Yorkshire, Surrey and Lancashire will be towing the party line by resting Mark Butcher, Andrew Flintoff, Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Alex Tudor ahead of Thursday's First Test.

As Mark Ramprakash said yesterday: "Surrey will be a very different side because obviously the two brothers are not here, the Hollioakes, and then you miss Butcher, Thorpe, Stewart and Tudor. Yeah, of course, Andrew is a top player for them - a very destructive one-day player - but it’s going to be a very hard game tomorrow."

The home side know only too well what Flintoff can do.  They have lost on their last two limited-overs outings against Lancashire and in the most recent, the NatWest quarter-final of 1998, the 24-year-old all-rounder struck an unbeaten 135.

But no player is bigger than the team and Ramprakash is right to sound cautious.  With the bat the Lightening have been led this season by Mark Chilton (164 runs at an average of 54.66 in the B&H).  Glen Chapple also has a half-century to his name and it is only a matter of time before Stuart Law fires.  Kyle Hogg, Glen Chapple and, when fit, Peter Martin have led the way with the ball.

If Azhar Mahmood can give Surrey a great going away present - either with the bat or ball, but preferably both - the home side can easily overcome the loss of four Test players.

Jonathan Batty, Michael Carberry, Nadeem Shahid and Philip Sampson look set to come in for the four big names who will be missing.  Rikki Clarke could also make in appearance should Ian Salisbury not be favoured.

M Chilton, G Chapple, A Swann, D Byas, S Law, G Lloyd, C Schofield, W Hegg (capt, wk), K Hogg, P Martin and J Wood.

26 Jul 2000	NWT	Lost By 8 Wickets	The Oval
17 Jun 1998	NL	Lost By 4 Wickets	Old Trafford
27-28 May 1998	B&H	Won By 5 Wickets	The Oval
14 Sep 1997	NL	Won By 5 Wickets	The Oval
11 Aug 1996	NL	Won (Scoring Rate)	Old Trafford
3 Sep 1995	NL	Lost By 6 Wickets	The Oval
6 Jul 1994	NWT	Won By 125 Runs	The Oval
8 May 1994	NL	Won By 1 Run	The Oval
6 Jun 1993	NL	Won By 165 Runs	The Oval
11 May 1993	B&H	Lost By 6 Runs	The Oval
26 Jul 1992	NL	Lost (Scoring Rate)	Old Trafford
27 May 1992	B&H	Won By 75 Runs	The Oval

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