Same old story

By Jeremy Horne
July 7 2002

An unbroken century stand between Mark Ramprakash (boo!) and Rikki Clarke guided Surrey to an easy eight wicket victory at Southgate. Ramprakash made 87 and Clarke 62 as the visitors eased passed their revised target of 194 with just over 2 overs to spare.

Earlier on, Tim Murtagh had taken three wickets to reduce Middlesex to 34-3, but a classy 74 by Owais Shah saw Middlesex reach 194-8 off their 42 overs. Shah shared in stands of 55 with Ed Joyce (31) and 48 with Simon Cook (21). Surrey’s reply began badly with big hitter Ali Brown falling to Ian Jones. However a partnership of 55 between Ramprakash and Ian Ward and then the stand between Ramprakash and Clarke saw Surrey home. Things could have been much different if Paul Weekes had held on to an easy slip catch offered by Ramprakash when he was on 43.

Middlesex inns:

Strauss c Batty b Murtagh 9
Alleyne lbw b Murtagh 0
Koenig c Hollioake b Murtagh 16
Joyce c Clarke b Ratcliffe 31
Shah b Clarke 74
Abdur Razzaq c Batty b Saqlain Mushtaq 3
Dalrymple c Murtagh b Ratcliffe 16
Cook b Giddins 21
Laraman Not out 8
Weekes Not out 4

Extras 12

Total (for 8 wickets, 42 overs) 194

Did not bat: Jones

Surrey innings: (revised target: 194)

Ward c Abdur Razzaq c Cook 30
Brown c Strauss b Jones 6
Ramprakash Not out 87
Clarke Not out 62

Extras 12

Total (for 2 wickets, 40.2 overs) 197

Did not bat: Shahid, Hollioake, Ratcliffe, Batty, Murtagh, Saqlain Mushtaq, Giddins

Result: Surrey win by 8 wickets