HOOK SHOT – England players’ return will make big difference in early weeks

The manner in which a team ends one season often sets the tone for the start of the next, so the hope is Surrey’s showing in last year’s T20 Blast will carry into 2021. The Oval outfit put together nine successive victories, before falling at the final hurdle to end the campaign with T20 runners-up medals.

But before Surrey can have another crack at the Blast, there are eight back-to-back County Championship fixtures.

There’s no getting away from the fact that their form in four-day cricket has not matched the dominance we witnessed in 2018. But, in mitigation, the combination of England calls and injuries – some of which Director of Cricket Alec Stewart described last week as “obscure” – have done the South Londoners no favours since being crowned county champions three years ago.

The batting has suffered immensely due to the absence of Rory Burns, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope. But, with the first Test against New Zealand not starting until 2 June, all three will be available for the group phase of the championship. Indeed, the top six looks pretty solid, even without Jason Roy, who, along with Tom and Sam Curran, will be involved in the Indian Premier League.

The loss of the Currans leaves Surrey’s bowling attack a little short on quality, notwithstanding the presence of England quicks Liam Plunkett and Reece Topley. Both have been pigeon-holed as white-ball operatives, but the word coming out of the Oval is they’re keen to alter perceptions. Add in Stewart’s desire to rotate his seamers in an effort to keep them fresh, Plunkett and Topley will be given the chance to play as big a part as anyone in the first two months.

The format of this year’s County Championship has been Covid-proofed, in that there’s no promotion or relegation at stake should games need to be abandoned due to the virus.

Instead of a return to two divisions, there will be three seeded groups of six (playing each other home and away), which will then determine the make-up of three divisions – Division One battling out the top six placings, Division Two 7th to 12th and Division Three 13th to 18th.

Surrey’s first port of call is Bristol, where, last summer, Covid-19 forced the abandonment of a four-dayer between Gloucestershire and Northants on day one.

The Oval outfit will start as favourites, as they will game two against Leicestershire at the Oval next week. But looming, on 13 May, is the first of two clashes with Somerset, who reached last season’s final of the Bob Willis Trophy.

The games against Hampshire – who bowled Surrey out for 172 and 74 in last summer’s four-day competition to win by an innings – will also be crucial in terms of finishing the initial group phase in the top two, which would then give Surrey the chance to go for the title.

It promises to be a fascinating summer, which, one hopes, will see the return of spectators. But, as always, my hope is for unbroken sunshine (unless, of course, Surrey need the weather to do them a favour) and positive cricket.

THREE WHO WILL BE KEY

HASHIM AMLA
Now that the 38-year-old South African has retired from international cricket, he will be available for all three formats this season. Not only does Amla average 48.52 with the bat in first-class cricket, he also has an average of 45.12 in List A cricket and 31.04 in T20.

JAMIE SMITH
Ignore the fact that Smith, 20, only averages 32.13. The glimpses he has already shown with the bat suggest he will be a key figure at the Oval for many seasons to come. Jamie is also Surrey’s reserve wicketkeeper should Foakes get another run in the England Test team.

AMAR VIRDI
The 22-year-old off-spinner was ever present when Surrey won the County Championship in 2018, and their leading wicket-taker in last season’s Bob Willis Trophy. A winter with England, as reserve spinner to Jack Leach and Dom Bess, will only have added to his box of tricks.

Main Pic: Hashim Amla