A win in the penultimate game of the season and Surrey are safe. A month ago our place in Division 1 appeared to be in jeopardy, but an upturn in performance has seen Surrey accumulate sufficient points. It seems that last season's champions Lancashire will be relegated, such are the turnarounds in county cricket.
The dispute between the ECB and Kevin Pietersen had at least one positive, it gave Surrey a quality batsman in the middle order when one was most desparately needed.
In recent months players have been changed more regularly than socks, and the selection policy has to say the least been baffling. In the penultimate game at home to Nottinghamshire, fast bowler Tim Linley took five wickets in the Notts first innings; all good you might say, except Linlay has been overlooked for much of the season.
Nothing highlights the problems at Surrey more than the treatment of Matthew Sprigel. For much of the season Spreigs has been a mainstay of both the CB40 and T20 sides. On more than one occasion he was steered Surrey to victory when defeat looked on the cards. Yet the Coaching staff have denied him the chance to cement a place in the county championship side. A player who bats, who has taken valuable wickets in limited over cricket and excels in the outfield, has effectively been an outcast from the county side.
I assume it came to noones surprisewhen it was announced that Matt was joing Northamptonshire for next season. No one could blame him, but Surrey have lost a local cricketer who has played for the county since 9 years of age. Even more bewildering was the fact that Coach Adams told the Surrey members forum in August that he regarded Spriegs as a player of immense potential. Actions and words seem some distance apart.
I'm sure many Surrey players will be delighted when the season ends, it seems that it will conclude with rain once again the dominant feature. A season that initially promised much has unfolded in ways that no one could have imagined. Perhaps everyone needs to put time and space between them and the Oval. Hopefully next season a clear pattern and strategy will evolve,and cricket will once again be fun and the sun will shine.
Key Quotes
"Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist."
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
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