Surrey set to compete on all three fronts
ESPNcricinfo previews Surrey's prospects for the 2017 season
George Dobell
03-Apr-2017
Ben Foakes has the chance to establish himself as the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the country • PA Photos
Last season:
Championship: 5th Div 1; NatWest Blast: 5th South Group; Royal London Cup: Final
In: Scott Borthwick, Mark Stoneman (both Durham), Kevin Pietersen (T20)
Out: Steven Davies (Somerset), Gary Wilson (Derbyshire), James Burke (loan, Leicestershire), Azhar Mahmood (released)
Overseas: Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Aaron Finch (Aus, T20).
Championship: 5th Div 1; NatWest Blast: 5th South Group; Royal London Cup: Final
In: Scott Borthwick, Mark Stoneman (both Durham), Kevin Pietersen (T20)
Out: Steven Davies (Somerset), Gary Wilson (Derbyshire), James Burke (loan, Leicestershire), Azhar Mahmood (released)
Overseas: Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Aaron Finch (Aus, T20).
2016 in a nutshell
After seven games of the Championship season, things looked grim for Surrey. They were bottom of the table with four losses and no wins and they had a glut of injuries to their seamers, in particular. But the depth of their squad helped them to a run of three wins in four and a mid-table finish. They started slowly in the Royal London Cup, too, losing three of their first four games. But then they won their last three completed games to progress to the knock-out stages. A masterful century from Kumar Sangakkara sealed the quarter-final but, for the second year in succession, they produced a lame performance in the final at Lord's. They failed to qualify for the knock-out stages of T20 - a major disappointment for a well-resourced squad with a huge support base - but, on the whole, this was an encouraging season for a newly promoted side containing many developing players.
After seven games of the Championship season, things looked grim for Surrey. They were bottom of the table with four losses and no wins and they had a glut of injuries to their seamers, in particular. But the depth of their squad helped them to a run of three wins in four and a mid-table finish. They started slowly in the Royal London Cup, too, losing three of their first four games. But then they won their last three completed games to progress to the knock-out stages. A masterful century from Kumar Sangakkara sealed the quarter-final but, for the second year in succession, they produced a lame performance in the final at Lord's. They failed to qualify for the knock-out stages of T20 - a major disappointment for a well-resourced squad with a huge support base - but, on the whole, this was an encouraging season for a newly promoted side containing many developing players.
2017 prospects
There is no reason Surrey should not seriously compete in all three formats. In Mark Stoneman, who will open, and Scott Borthwick, they have recruited two fine, highly-motivated top-order players from Durham who will strengthen the batting considerably. With Mark Footitt, Stuart Meaker and the Curran brothers fit and firing, they have a nicely balanced seam attack, with Matt Dunn too good to endure a second poor season in succession. And while they will miss Jason Roy for much of the Royal London Cup, a Blast top four of Finch, Roy, Kevin Pietersen and, for a while, Sangakkara is mouthwatering. Another overseas T20 signing is also anticipated. Jade Dernbach remains, whatever his England record, one of the best white-ball bowlers in the land and in Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty they have a spin attack deemed good enough to have played Test cricket in recent months. It's a strong squad of which much is expected. But the level of expectation is always a burden at one of the few clubs where the salary cap is an issue.
There is no reason Surrey should not seriously compete in all three formats. In Mark Stoneman, who will open, and Scott Borthwick, they have recruited two fine, highly-motivated top-order players from Durham who will strengthen the batting considerably. With Mark Footitt, Stuart Meaker and the Curran brothers fit and firing, they have a nicely balanced seam attack, with Matt Dunn too good to endure a second poor season in succession. And while they will miss Jason Roy for much of the Royal London Cup, a Blast top four of Finch, Roy, Kevin Pietersen and, for a while, Sangakkara is mouthwatering. Another overseas T20 signing is also anticipated. Jade Dernbach remains, whatever his England record, one of the best white-ball bowlers in the land and in Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty they have a spin attack deemed good enough to have played Test cricket in recent months. It's a strong squad of which much is expected. But the level of expectation is always a burden at one of the few clubs where the salary cap is an issue.
In charge
It's not so long since Alec Stewart was director of cricket at a club in Division Two. And, in a league in which 25% of the teams will be relegated, Stewart will be desperately keen to demonstrate the progress the club has made with, at worst, a season without any relegation worries. Batty continues as captain, though Rory Burns is expected to deputise at times, with Michael di Venuto the head coach who has lured Stoneman, a player much in his image, to The Oval.
It's not so long since Alec Stewart was director of cricket at a club in Division Two. And, in a league in which 25% of the teams will be relegated, Stewart will be desperately keen to demonstrate the progress the club has made with, at worst, a season without any relegation worries. Batty continues as captain, though Rory Burns is expected to deputise at times, with Michael di Venuto the head coach who has lured Stoneman, a player much in his image, to The Oval.
Key player
Burns is not one of the most high-profile Surrey players, but he is among the most valuable. A solid opening batsman - he was the club's highest run-scorer in the Championship last year - he is also likely to win more opportunity as keeper now that Steven Davies and Gary Wilson have moved elsewhere. He remains very much Ben Foakes' deputy but, over a long season, opportunities are likely to arise. Most importantly, though, Burns is also the club's vice-captain. And with Batty, the captain, unlikely to play every game - on early season pitches, the spin-bowling duties may well be fulfilled by Ansari - Burns could be in charge rather more than anticipated. It's not impossible he could end up opening, keeping and captaining in some matches.
Burns is not one of the most high-profile Surrey players, but he is among the most valuable. A solid opening batsman - he was the club's highest run-scorer in the Championship last year - he is also likely to win more opportunity as keeper now that Steven Davies and Gary Wilson have moved elsewhere. He remains very much Ben Foakes' deputy but, over a long season, opportunities are likely to arise. Most importantly, though, Burns is also the club's vice-captain. And with Batty, the captain, unlikely to play every game - on early season pitches, the spin-bowling duties may well be fulfilled by Ansari - Burns could be in charge rather more than anticipated. It's not impossible he could end up opening, keeping and captaining in some matches.
Bright young thing
Foakes had to wait a while for an opportunity - being understudy to James Foster will do that to a young keeper - but, given his chance at Surrey in 2016, he more than lived up to expectations. While he is not quite, at this stage, the finished article, he is the natural successor to keepers such as Foster and Chris Read: good with his hands and his feet, only Tim Ambrose completed more Championship dismissals. In a world of pretenders, he is the real thing. He can really bat, too. He averaged over 40 in the Championship and nearly 50 in the Royal London Cup. He might well be England's next Test keeper. Dominic Sibley, who may well bat at No. 6 in the Championship side, is another worth following.
Foakes had to wait a while for an opportunity - being understudy to James Foster will do that to a young keeper - but, given his chance at Surrey in 2016, he more than lived up to expectations. While he is not quite, at this stage, the finished article, he is the natural successor to keepers such as Foster and Chris Read: good with his hands and his feet, only Tim Ambrose completed more Championship dismissals. In a world of pretenders, he is the real thing. He can really bat, too. He averaged over 40 in the Championship and nearly 50 in the Royal London Cup. He might well be England's next Test keeper. Dominic Sibley, who may well bat at No. 6 in the Championship side, is another worth following.
ESPNcricinfo verdict
It is true there have been times in recent years when - for understandable reasons - Surrey may have failed to strike a balance between development and recruitment. Leaving aside the birthplace argument for now, they appear to have a pleasing balance of home-grown talent (Sibley, Burns, Meaker, Ansari, Roy, Dunn, the Currans et al) and recruited (Foakes, Sangakkara, Batty, Borthwick, Stoneman et al) that can both challenge for trophies and fulfil their brief for developing England players. They should challenge in all formats.
It is true there have been times in recent years when - for understandable reasons - Surrey may have failed to strike a balance between development and recruitment. Leaving aside the birthplace argument for now, they appear to have a pleasing balance of home-grown talent (Sibley, Burns, Meaker, Ansari, Roy, Dunn, the Currans et al) and recruited (Foakes, Sangakkara, Batty, Borthwick, Stoneman et al) that can both challenge for trophies and fulfil their brief for developing England players. They should challenge in all formats.
Bet365 odds: Specsavers Championship: 5-1; NatWest Blast 9-1; Royal London Cup 15-2
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo