Cricket Diary: Yorkshire's wait, Surrey's stir

By Richard Gibson

Tim Bresnan is yet to be given clearance from England to play for Yorkshire in Twenty20 finals day – although he will be under family pressure to make sure he is available on August 25.

Contrary to reports, it is not a condition of central contracts that all players are freed up to feature in the Friends Life t20 showpiece. However, team director Andy Flower intends to be co-operative to those under his control.

England feature in a one-day international against South Africa at the Swalec Stadium the day before Yorkshire’s maiden appearance in the last-four,  so all-rounder Bresnan, whose side face Sussex in the opening semi-final, should be offered the chance to play along with Jonny Bairstow and Craig Kieswetter, of Somerset.

And one man will be in Bresnan’s ear to encourage the nod – his county captain Andrew Gale also doubles up as his brother-in-law following his marriage to Hannah, sister of Gale’s wife Kate earlier this year.

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Surrey have caused a major stir amongst their followers by arranging their members’ forum for 8.30am on Wednesday, August 15 – and limiting numbers to 100. And it comes at a time when sections of the membership are becoming restless at increasingly worrying on-field displays.

Surrey have had to contend with the tragic loss of Tom Maynard this summer which led to numerous members of the playing squad being given compassionate leave, and team director Chris Adams taking a holiday in the middle of the campaign.

However, concern about recent results and performances, and the release of veteran Mark Ramprakash in mid-season, have dominated internet discussion boards – along with the conspiracy theory that the club have come up with an unsociable hour and restricted capacity to dissuade dissenters turning up.

A dinner will be held in honour of Ramprakash later that day, the first of the County Championship fixture between Surrey and his former club Middlesex. Ramprakash’s ex-England colleagues Alec Stewart and Angus Fraser are guest speakers and tickets are £40 a head.

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James Taylor is set to disprove the theory doing the rounds in the Sky Sports commentary box that Michael Atherton is a jinx when it comes to handing out new Test caps.

Diminutive Nottinghamshire batsman Taylor will double his cap tally at Lord’s this Thursday, something James Tredwell and Michael Carberry, two others who have had their England Test caps presented by Atherton, have so far failed to do.

They made their debuts on England’s tour of Bangladesh two and a half years ago but remain in that wonderful club – the one-cap wonders – for now.

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England face another trial by spin this winter with Test and one-day tours to India, and there will be focus on it below the full team too. Spin coach Peter Such will be taking a group of bowlers and batsmen to Sri Lanka once more, following last year’s successful venture.

Among those to benefit in 2011-12 was Moeen Ali, who stayed on to play domestically for Moors Sports Club, and recently highlighted his improvement as an off-spinner with a career-best match haul of 12 for 96 in victory over Lancashire at Old Trafford.

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Date: 11/08/2012 20:48:00 by Richard Gibson
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