Surrey spirits are still high

ALTHOUGH Surrey are still searching for their first championship win of the season, a disciplined performance at Trent Bridge last weekend suggests that the Brown Caps have certainly not given up hope.

Mark Ramprakash extended his run of championship innings without a fifty to nine, but with Usman Afzaal fashioning an attractive 89 and Matthew Spriegel and Chris Jordan hitting maiden first-class half-centuries, the Notts bowlers were clearly left frustrated.

Afzaal said: “I think the most important thing was that we batted as a unit, with everyone contributing.

“We left a lot of balls, but when I went out there from ball one I felt bat on ball. Those were my tactics. But I think it was a fantastic effort to make 403. It's just a shame that we couldn't hit the nail on the head and finish the game with a victory.

“The zip went off the wicket a little bit on the last day. If we had got Samit Patel or Graeme Swann early it would have been the end, but all credit to them for the way they batted.”

To have taken the early initiative in each of their last two championship matches, against Kent and Notts, and yet come away with a defeat and a draw, might have left Surrey's confidence in tatters.

But according Afzaal, there is no shortage of team spirit. He said: “The boys in the Surrey dressing room are brilliant. They are the best people I have ever worked with. No matter what happens we are going to stick our chest out and believe we can win.

“You can't knock our confidence. It all starts from the top. Alan Butcher, Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash have been fantastic. Okay we've not won a game in the championship, but in at least five of our games we've been in great positions.

We are playing good cricket. It just about finishing teams off.”

Scott Newman ended his long wait for a championship hundred at Guildford last Wednesday. With Jimmy Ormond and Jade Dernbach making early inroads the current game against Durham appears to be heading for a tight finish, weather permitting.

Afzaal said: “Scotty has been batting well all year. It was nice for him and for the team that he's made three figures. He went out and played positively and at times had to guts it out. The Durham bowling attack is a good attack, but he showed a bit of bottle and showed a bit of character.

“When I batted there was a bit of swing and a bit of turn as well. As long as there's something in the wicket, like good carry or a bit of seam, if we keep ourselves disciplined and stick to our game plan then we're in with a chance.

“That's exactly what we went out there to do in the last session of the opening day and it gave us that belief and that confidence.”

With the number of injuries mounting, Afzaal went on to praise the younger players.

He said: “We believe they're good enough to play first-class cricket and truly believe that they are the future of the club.

“Okay, we did lose some brilliant players on the first morning here [at Guildford], but it has brought in some great youngsters and hopefully, come the second innings, they'll be contributing and showing exactly what they are all about.”

Matt Nicholson looks likely to join Mark Butcher (knee) and James Benning (back) on Surrey's long-term injury list. The 33-year-old Australian, who injured a knee against Notts at Trent Bridge, underwent a scan yesterday (Thursday) to determine the extent of the cartilage damage. However, Mark Ramprakash (food poisoning), Saqlain Mushtaq (split spinning finger) and Pedro Collins (side strain) are expected to return to playing action soon.

Man of the Week: Scott Newman, for his 113 out of Surrey's first innings 220 against Durham