Cricket

SCHOOLBOY PROVES A HERO FOR SURREY

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10 April 2008

By Jon Surtees

Dulwich College schoolboy Chris Jordan (left) was the hero as Surrey secured a morale boosting victory against Middlesex in their first warm up game of the year.

Although the game was technically a warm up for next week’s season opener against Lancashire, any game between Surrey and Middlesex always has bragging rights attached.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Middlesex got off to a good start with Nick Compton (59) and Billy Godleman (104) putting on a partnership of 133 for the first wicket before Compton was removed, caught by new boy Usman Afzaal off the bowling of veteran Jimmy Ormond.

With England fringe player Owais Shah snared by the aggressive Jade Dernbach for 38, it was down to fellow England possible Ed Joyce to rescue the innings with a quick fire 45 off 36 balls. Middlesex finished with a creditable 270 off their 50 overs.

With Mark Butcher focusing Surrey’s attack on pace, both Jimmy Ormond and Chris Jordan got through a full ten overs with Jade Dernbach bowling nine and spinner Chris Schofield getting through eight.

In reply, Surrey were in bad shape after both Jonathan Batty and, incredibly, Mark Ramprakash were returned to pavilion without troubling the scorers. However, a characteristically belligerent innings from Scott Newman (68), supported by solid work from Mark Butcher (36), Usman Afzaal (45) and Ali Brown (44) left Chris Schofield and Chris Jordan – either bowlers who can bat a bit or genuine all-rounders depending on the quality of the opposition – to score safely and quickly to secure a win.

With 22 runs left, Schofield was run out for 36, leaving 19 year old Jordan to take the lead with 30 year old Jimmy Ormond. The pair took the required runs down to fourteen from the last over with Jordan taking strike against former Surrey seamer – and renowned ‘death’ bowler – Tim Murtagh.

Jordan attacked the bowling confidently, blasting Murtagh to the boundary for a six and a four to give Surrey the second victory of their pre-season campaign after an earlier seven wicket win away at Northamptonshire.

As the ‘News’ went to press, Alan Butcher’s side were beginning their final pre-season game with Kent at Beckenham and had a final first class pre-season run out with Loughborough University.

NEXT GAME

County Championship Lancashire (H) Wednesday April 16 @10.45am

 

 

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