Surrey, under the leadership of the Sussex Oligarch Adams, and the captaincy (according to the * in cricinfo) of Stewart Walters, have performed their usual trick. Having took the first five wickets for 116, the Shotgun and Syringes were allowed to wriggle off the hook and make 401. Ryan ten Doeschate made 159 not out. 8 of the ten wickets to fall went to Chris Jordan and a 27 year-old career second XI player in Tim Linley.

I’ve not commented on Surrey much recently, because, frankly, there’s not a lot too say. Without Ramprakash we wouldn’t score any runs, and the bowling attack is pop-gun. We don’t appear to have an overseas player – Grant Elliott and Ryan Harris seem to have come and gone – but for all I know they could still be there. I heard on Sunday that Surrey have put Newman and Benning up for loan and their contracts won’t be renewed.  Well, you have to go with rumour because the Surrey site just had this to say…

http://www.britoval.com/news/newman-and-benning-available-loan

Surrey County Cricket Club today announced that opening batsman Scott Newman and all-rounder James Benning are available for loan.

Very civil of them to tell us all why our most talented opener is being chucked out. Matt Spriegel tried to cover it up in a local rag intimating it was about form.  Rumours abound about attitude differences with the oligarch, but who knows. We ain’t being told. This seems to be a bit more like it. I’m not crying any tears over Benning who has been “promising” for too long without delivering. Why that sort of stuff doesn’t appear on the official site, I don’t know. Maybe us members are too sensitive to tell us the truth. Maybe “we can’t handle the truth.”

I was also appalled on Sunday to see the Bedser Lounge is no longer available to the public at large, and even us county members. When asking Mr Watts (a 49er, and Surrey to his core) why, he informed me that it was part of the two-tier membership scheme that Surrey have imposed. It seems to me this club is more focused on money than on putting a decent outfit on the field. A lot has been invested by way of belief in the Sussex oligarch, who sounds more like Ron Manager every day, and I am certainly not in the “confident” group that he will succeed. Mr Watts described it as the worst Surrey team he’d seen in 20 years.

Oh, and Elliott has now left Surrey. I’m not sure who is replacing him. Does anyone care?