Match Preview - Surrey v Gloucestershire
9 August 2019
Gloucestershire look to build on an impressive victory over Kent as they take on Surrey in the first of two matches on their London trip.
At the halfway point of the Vitality Blast group stage, Gloucestershire lie in fifth place only behind Hampshire in fourth due to net run rate.
A five-wicket victory over one of the favourites to secure a home quarter-final, Kent Spitfires, ensured that Gloucestershire are well and truly in the hunt to progress to the knockout stage and that they have a talented enough squad, albeit smaller than most, to challenge the favourites in the competition.
They face Surrey at The Kia Oval in the first of a London double before they face Middlesex on Sunday at Radlett.
The second installment of the London Derby took place last night with Middlesex coming out victorious for the second time as AB de Villiers and World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan lead them to a 64-run victory.
The Shire will be feeling confident heading into the game with a win over Kent and a narrow defeat in controversial circumstances against table toppers Sussex.
Benny Howell believes Gloucestershire are ready to challenge the best teams in this season’s Vitality Blast. And the all-rounder hopes to see proof of that, starting with tonight’s game at The Kia Oval.
“I feel like we are really strong in T20 this season,” he said. “We know what we are doing and if we execute our plans properly, we are a match for anyone. Powerplays have been an issue, which we have recognised and are ready to put right. If we do, I think we are a really serious team in this format and one to be reckoned with.”
Gloucestershire’s 13-man squad to face Surrey:
Klinger, Hammond, Cockbain, Bracey, Higgins, J Taylor, Howell, Tye, Smith, van Buuren, Payne, Dent, Liddle.
Despite Surrey languishing near the bottom of the table with only one win, they will still bring in a 20,000-plus crowd under The Kia Oval floodlights. But it is a challenge Howell welcomes:
“We are aspiring to get to the next level and part of that is getting to love big crowds. We need to enjoy the atmosphere while also making sure we turn in a performance,” he said.
Aaron Finch is unsurprisingly Surrey’s leading scorer in the competition so far with 238 runs (more than any Gloucestershire player), although 21-year-old Ollie Pope has shown his value chipping in with 157 runs in six innings.
Tom Curran will be one the Gloucestershire batsmen need to watch out for. He has taken a team high 10 wickets while the experienced Gareth Batty has taken nine at the team’s best economic rate (8.65, best of those who have played more than 2 games).
Surrey’s 14-man squad to face Gloucestershire:
Dernbach, Batty, Borthwick, Clark, Clarke, S Curran, T Curran, Finch, Foakes, Jacks, Patel, Pope, Stoneman, Tahir.
The match take place at The Kia Oval, London, with a start time of 6:30pm.
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