Surrey squad to play Ireland
Thirteen Surrey players will make the trip to Belfast for their Cheltenham and Gloucestershire match with Ireland this Sunday.
The in form Mohammad Akram has been added to the Surrey squad with the rest of team unchanged to the 12 that lined up against Somerset last Sunday.
With the South group still wide open, Surrey must win this Sunday in order for them to keep their chances alive. Their loss to the Irish in 2004 still weighs very much in the mind of Surrey skipper, Mark Butcher. He told www.surreycricket.com, “Ireland have proved to be a tough opponents in the last couple of years and this season will be no different. We will have to play good cricket to win and our last game against them serves as a reminder of that”.
The new addition to the Irish team of ex Surrey great, Saqlain Mushtaq has given the match some extra spice too. Saqlain, who was named as one of Ireland’s overseas players earlier this year, will go head to head with his old club. And captain Butcher said that he is “very much looking forward to playing against my great friend.”
Saqlain played a huge part for Surrey in his nine seasons with the Club. In 80 first-class matches he took an incredible 384 wickets at just 20.79, spinning Surrey to victory on numerous occasions.
Fellow Pakistani, Shahid Afridi will also play for the home side. Afridi has already played a major part in the Irish campaign after his three-wicket haul against Gloucestershire that ensured a 47 run win- their one and only win in the competition so far.
The Surrey 13 is:
Jonathan Batty (wicket-keeper)
James Benning
Mark Butcher (captain)
Mark Ramprakash
Ali Brown
Rikki Clarke
Azhar Mahmood
Ian Salisbury
Tim Murtagh
Nayan Doshi
Jade Dernbach
Stewart Walters
Mohammad Akram
12th and 13th man to be named on Sunday morning.
Unfortunately for regular online Surrey commentary listeners, the match will not be broadcast live due to technical difficulties. However, Mark Church will be back live from the Brit Oval next Wednesday at 10.55am, ready for Surrey’s Liverpool Victoria County Championship match with Worcestershire.