SURREY V SOMERSET at the AMP Oval (CC1), 24-27 MAY 2002

Surrey and Somerset are now the only unbeaten teams left in the top flight of the County Championship, but the gap between the two sides is already 16.75 points.  The last time Surrey won their first three championship games was in 1958, so it's hardly surprising that they are now 1-3 on favourites with most bookies to win back the title.  Somerset, on the other hand, are 12-1 and a generous 5-3 simply to win this game.

If the visitors do triumph it will probably be due to Andy Caddick's performances with the ball.  In his last five appearances in the County Championship he has taken 48 wickets.  Apart from him, only Keith Parsons is likely to worry Surrey based on recent form.  With the bat, Somerset will be relying on the likes of Jamie Cox (302 runs at an average of 75.50), Marcus Trescothick, Peter Bowler and Ian Blackwell to set them up nicely.

Looking back, Alistair Brown, Alec Stewart and Ian Ward have not particularly enjoyed coming up against the west countrymen.  Most of Surrey's key bowlers have, though.  Saqlain Mushtaq and Ian Salisbury both average 21 runs per wicket in Surrey v Somerset encounters.  James Ormond has taken more first-class victims against the cidermen than any other county and Martin Bicknell needs just one more wicket to record his half-century against tomorrow's visitors.  Unfortunately, Alex Tudor - who is being talked up in the press - has only claimed seven scalps at 62.57 runs apiece in his five previous appearances against Somerset.  He will have to do much better if he wants to spend next week in Birmingham rather than Manchester.

Two fairly evenly matched sides plus a weather forecast of "cloudy with light to moderate rain showers" all points to one thing - the game ending in a draw.  It would be a shame, since I would like to know when anyone, not just Surrey, last opened their championship account with four wins!

Mark Butcher resumes as captain and returns from international duty along with Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe.  Butcher's first decision will be whether to go with Ed Giddins and James Ormond, who missed Sunday's game at Bristol due to a slight hamstring pull.

J Cox (capt), M Trescothick, M Burns, P Bowler, K Parsons, I Blackwell, R Turner (wk), K Dutch, A Caddick, M Bulbeck and S Francis.

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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