‘I just wanted to give my all to the white-ball game’ – Laurie Evans is a T20 specialist for Surrey this season

BY MARCUS HOOK

Laurie Evans says that qualification for the knockout phase of the Vitality Blast is a must for Surrey, who have only progressed from their group in two of the last seven seasons in the domestic T20.

The 34-year-old from Lambeth became the first player to sign a white-ball only contract with the Oval outfit.

Evans, who confirmed his Surrey return in March, also believes playing in the Big Bash in Australia for the first time has taken his T20 skills to another level.

“It was a new experience for me, and I was pretty successful,” said Evans, who made 361 runs at an average of 40.11, including an unbeaten 76 off 41 balls in the final for Perth Scorchers, who finished runners-up to Sydney Sixers.

“It was fantastic. The Big Bash has always been a tournament I’ve wanted to play in, having watched it on TV. To get the opportunity to go and play in Perth was a real honour and privilege.

“I was cutting the grass when I got the call. Even though it meant not seeing the family for the best part of three months it was an easy decision. But when you arrive you want to show what you can do and make a success of it.

“It was a long tournament and the Covid rules out in Australia at the time made it feel that bit longer, which meant there were challenges along the way. But it was a very positive experience.”

Evans only played two four-day games for Surrey last season and now only sees his future in the game as a limited-overs specialist.

“I’m getting towards the latter end of my career,” he said. “I want to play the cricket I enjoy the most and that’s white-ball cricket, which I have been most successful at.

“I just wanted to give my all to the white-ball game and where it can lead me in terms of playing all around the world. I think we’ll see more and more players specialising. There is a market out there now for white-ball cricketers.

“Ten years ago there wasn’t the money around that you can earn now. In another ten years there will be even more.

“Being the first one at Surrey [to sign an exclusively white-ball contract] it’s a bit of an unknown, but having been more of a one-day cricketer in the last few years I know how to get ready for tournaments and how to manage my body.”

In terms of Surrey’s chances in the Blast, expectations are high once again, especially with West Indians Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard on board for the T20.

“I’ve been at Surrey, I’ve grown up at Surrey and playing for a club like this comes with certain expectations,” said Evans.

“People expect you to be challenging all the time. Unfortunately, that’s not the way that cricket or sport works. Sometimes you’re going to have days when you don’t qualify or you don’t play your best, or other teams turn up and play better than you.

“As a player you have to live up to it and I really enjoy it. But, this year, getting out of our group and qualifying for the quarter-finals is a must. Over 14 group games, we should definitely be finishing in the top four.”

SURREY v GLAMORGAN (probable line-ups)

Surrey:
Roy, Jacks, Evans, Smith (wk), S Curran, Pollard, Overton, Jordan (capt), Narine, Moriarty, Topley.

Glamorgan:
Carlson, Lloyd (capt), Labuschagne, Ingram, Northeast, Douthwaite, C.Cooke (wk), Salter, van der Gugten, Sisodiya and McIlroy.

KEY PLAYERS
Will Jacks (Surrey, above) – Invariably at his best when given licence to play his shots, the Oval outfit’s leading run-maker in last summer’s Blast also has a reputation now for being an economical spin bowler.

Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan) – the top-rated batter in Test cricket, according to the ICC rankings. The 27-year-old Australian played a key part with the ball for Glamorgan in last year’s Blast, taking nine wickets at an average of 21.44.

STAT
Sixteen of the last 21 domestic T20 matches at the Oval (76 per cent) have been won by the side batting second.

STAR MAN
For once, I’m going for Star Men – Ben Geddes (104) and Ryan Patel (126), who compiled a 227-run opening stand in the drawn contest with the Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI at Guildford.

BEST MOMENT
Seamer Tom Lawes’ spell which produced the first three Sri Lankan wickets in 26 balls – the second and third thanks to superb grabs at second slip by Ryan Patel.

NEXT FIXTURES
May 27 – Surrey v Glamorgan at the Kia Oval (Vitality Blast)
May 31 – Surrey v Gloucestershire at the Kia Oval (Vitality Blast)
June 2 – Surrey v Hampshire at the Kia Oval (Vitality Blast)
June 3 – Kent v Surrey at Canterbury (Vitality Blast)

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD