Match Preview: Hampshire v Surrey - Specsavers County Championship

Hampshire resume their Specsavers County Championship campaign this weekend as Surrey visit the The Ageas Bowl for the sixth four-day contest of the season, beginning on Saturday.

Hampshire Squad:

A 14-man squad has been named for this week’s home fixture, with South Africa seamer Dale Steyn set to make his first-class Hampshire debut.

Liam Dawson and Kyle Abbott both return to the fold having recovered from injuries suffered during red-ball contests in May, whilst Ian Holland, Mason Crane, Ryan Stevenson and Sean Ervine make their first squad appearances this season.

Sam Northeast continues his recovery from a fractured finger but remains unavailable. Tom Alsop is also absent from the squad after sustaining a hamstring injury in training this week.

The Opposition:

Surrey will be looking to bounce-back from a disappointing Royal London One-Day Cup campaign when they revert back to four-day cricket this weekend.

After reaching three consecutive 50-over finals, Rory Burns’ side could only finish mid-table in the South Group, however the visitors began their red-ball campaign well in April and May, claiming two wins and two draws from their opening four contests.

They’re also boosted by the inclusion of Morne Morkel who is set to make his first-class debut for the visitors and there’ll be no shortage of pace on show throughout with Steyn, Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards set to be involved for the hosts.

Did You Know?

• James Vince averages 46.14 in first-class matches against Surrey, with a superb knock of 159 at the The Ageas Bowl in 2014 a highlight in six fixtures.
• Lewis McManus struck a career-best 132* against Surrey at the The Ageas Bowl in 2016.

Full Hampshire Squad:

Coverage:

Match updates will be available via the Hampshire Cricket social media channels, whilst ball-by-ball coverage and match highlights will be available at ageasbowl.com/cricket.

There will be ball-by-ball commentary available on BBC Radio Solent online at bbc.co.uk.

Weather Forecast:

Please follow the link for the latest weather forecast for The Ageas Bowl: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcp185f25

Tickets:

Tickets for all four days of Hampshire’s match against Surrey at the The Ageas Bowl can be purchased online via the link below, over the phone on 0844 847 1863, or by visiting the The Ageas Bowl’s Ticketing & Membership Office via normal working hours.

Phone: 0844 847 1863

In Person: The Ageas Bowl Ticket Office (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm)