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Harbhajan Singh's season with Surrey

Harbhajan Singh turned in his first outstanding performance of the season for Surrey, taking 8 for 83 in the match, including a first-innings 6 for 36 that broke the back of the Hampshire batting

Cricinfo staff
17-Jun-2005
Harbhajan Singh was recently embroiled in a controversy over his bowling action. But as soon as that was resolved he signed up with Surrey to play for them over two months till August end.


Harbhajan Singh is smiling again as he can get back to playing cricket © Cricinfo
July 8-11 - Frizzell County Championship
Surrey 603 (Harbhajan 84) lead Gloucestershire 221 for 6 (Harbhajan 1-44) by 382 runs
Scorecard
Harbhajan shone with the bat at the County Ground in Bristol, smashing 11 fours and 3 sixes as Surrey piled up a massive 603 without one batsman going past three figures. By stumps on day two, he had taken a wicket as well as Gloucestershire struggled to avoid the follow-on.
July 6 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 144 for 8 (Harbhajan 6) lost to Sussex 148 for 7 (Harbhajan 1-13)by 3 wickets
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After two other bowlers from the subcontinent, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mushtaq Ahmed, had helped restrict Surrey to 144, it was the turn of the Asian contingent at the Brit Oval to try and wrest victory. Harbhajan bowled with tremendous control to concede only 13 from his spell and there were two wickets for Azhar Mahmood, but Sussex still eased home with three balls to spare.
July 5 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 70 for 2 in 5 overs lost to Essex 71 for 3 in 15 overs by 1 run
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Though he was included in the XI, Harbhajan had no role to play in this abbreviated day-nighter at Chelmsford as Surrey slipped to a one-run defeat.
July 1 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 167 for 6 in 15 overs beat Kent 144 for 8 in 15 overs (Harbhajan 1-28) by 23 runs (D-L method)
Scorecard
Surrey notched up their fifth win in six Twenty20 games with a 23-run victory against Kent at The Oval. In a match restricted to 15 overs per side, Surrey scored at more than 11 an over. Kent made a spirited fist of it, as Harbhajan found out, going for 28 in two overs, but they finally fell short of the target.
June 29 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 116 for 5 in 13 overs beat Sussex 139 for 6 in 17 overs (Harbhajan 0-25) by 5 wickets (D-L method)
Scorecard
Harbhajan was overshadowed by the other specialist spinner in the team, left-arm Nayan Doshi. Doshi took 3 for 31 to Harbhajan's none for 25 as Surrey won another rain-affected game, this time against Sussex at Hove.
June 28 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 180 for 7 beat Middlesex 78 for 4 in 11 overs (Harbhajan 0-13) by 22 runs (D-L method)
Scorecard
In a match affected by the weather, Surrey pulled through by 22 runs. Middlesex could bat only 11 overs, and we well short of their target of 101. Harbhajan bowled just the solitary over, and went for 13 runs.
June 25 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 118 lost to Hampshire 119 for 7 (Harbhajan 2-22) by 3 wickets
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Harbhajan took 2 for 22, but that wasn't enough to stop Hampshire from stealing a three-wicket win at The Oval. Surrey won the toss and batted, but could manage only 118, a total that was well below par.
June 23 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 200 for 3 beat Middlesex 177 (Harbhajan 0-29) by 23 runs
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Surrey's second consecutive win in the Twenty20 competition was set up by the batsmen, who racked up 200 against Middlesex at Lord's. Harbhajan again didn't do too much, conceding 29 runs from his four overs.
June 22 - Twenty20 Cup
Surrey 141 for 3 beat Kent 140 for 8 (Harbhajan 0-22) by 7 wickets
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Habhajan's first Twenty20 game for Surrey ended in victory for his team, as they thrashed Kent by seven wickets at Beckenham. Kent managed only 140 for 8 in 20 overs, and though Harbhajan went wicketless, he bowled economically, conceding just 22 runs from four overs.
June 15-18 - Frizzell County Championship
Surrey 361 (Harbhajan 25) beat Hampshire 146 (Harbhajan 6-36) and 160 (Harbhajan 2-47) by an innings and 55 runs
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Harbhajan Singh turned in his first outstanding performance of the season for Surrey, taking 8 for 83 in the match, including a first-innings 6 for 36 that broke the back of the Hampshire batting. Surrey won easily, by an innings and 55 runs. Surrey batted first and scored 361 - where Harbhajan chipped in with a 16-ball 25 - and then stunned Hampshire, knocking them over for just 146. Martin Bicknell and Mohammad Akram provided the initial breakthroughs, dismissing the openers, and then Harbahajan took over, and cleaned up the middle order. In the second innings Akram was the star with a five-for, but Harbhajan managed 2 for 47 as Hampshire were bowled out for 160.
June 8-11 - Frizzell County Championship
Middlesex 437 (Harbhajan 2-87) and 356 for 6 dec (Harbhajan 1-37) drew with Surrey 460
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Surrey completed just one innings as their County Championship match against Middlesex ended in a draw. When Middlesex batted first Harbhajan had a long spell, bowling as many as 35 overs, but could only pick up two wickets giving away 87 runs as Middlesex put on 437. Surrey managed to top this, scoring 460 in their sole innings of the match. Harbhajan landed one second-innings wicket as Middlesex declared on 356 for 6 when time ran out.
June 5 - National League
Warwickshire 309 for 8 (Harbhajan 1-59) beat Surrey 260 by 49 runs
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Harbhajan Singh's first National League one-day match, against Warwickshire at the Whitgift School, Croydon, did not go well at all. Warwickshire scored a strong 309 for 8 in 45 overs, and Harbhajan could pick up just one wicket as he gave away 59 runs in nine overs. He failed with the bat, scoring just one as Surrey lost by 49 runs.
June 1-4 - Frizzell County Championship
Surrey 340 and 310 for 7 dec drew with Warwickshire 209 (Harbhajan 2-57) and 222 for 3 (Harbhajan 1-60)
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Harbhajan Singh did not exactly set the stage alight in his first County Championship match of the season for Surrey. He had moderate pickings of 3 for 117 in the match. In the first innings he managed to snare Tony Frost, the No. 8 batsman, and Heath Streak, the No. 9 batsman, while in the second innings he bagged a top-order wicket, dismissing Jonathan Trott. The match ended in a draw.