Cricket

NEL MAKES ENCOURAGING START BUT BATTERS DON'T FOLLOW SUIT

29 April 2009

John Prendergast
johnp@southwarknews.org

Gloucestershire 10 points
Surrey 7

Work will need to be done on the batting line up at the Oval this season if the opening four day encounter against Gloucestershire is anything to go by.

Although the contest ended in a draw, Surrey were as grateful to long periods of rain rather than anything else, as the batting line up proved to be brittle. After the away team scored 333 in their first innings the Kennington side collapsed to 160 all out in reply, with only Usman Afzaal offering any resistance.

After being asked to follow on two wickets fell for 24 runs, before Afzal and Michael Brown steadied the ship.
The batting display was in marked contrast to the bowling efforts, with new overseas signing Andre Nel snagging 4/52 in the first innings marking a particularly lively debut.

He was ably backed up by Jade Dernbach, who finished on 4/79, who both looked lively as they caused Gloucestershire plenty of problems. However it will be the batting that concerns new coach Chris Adams, as he seeks to get his charges back on track against Derbyshire in the championship this week.

Surrey will play their opening Friends Provident Trophy fixture on Sunday, when they travel to Bristol to take on Gloucestershire.

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