Surrey beat New Zealand 'A' by 24 runs
In last year's 'A' tour match Ben Hollioake batted imperiously in the first innings and in two short spells during the second set Sri Lanka up for the coup-de-grace to be administered by Greenidge, and, at the same time announced his return to form - the next game saw him destroy Glamorgan in the first innings with an accurate, viciously fast spell.
It was unfortunate for him that injury curtailed his season. This year he was similarly in need of the practice of the A tour game but, sadly this year it was the other Ben who went out to play. While Greenidge toiled to good effect from one end the younger Hollioake ran in and is either still feeling the effects of the injury which kept him out of the last few games or underachieved from the other.
Ian Salisbury showed against Somerset that he is far clear as the second best leg spinner in the country, not bad given that Warne is here. Today, given New Zealand A's spinner as a point of reference he again showed how far he has developed in the last couple of years, one day cricket is, I think he would agree, not his game, but he bowled just one truly poor ball in his first eight over spell and put an end to any chance of NZA winning the game. In his second - he was brought on again to nail the game down he took the required wicket in his first over. He's a player coming to his prime and the peak of form. After his two overs the required rate was heading back toward eight and the game was once again dead.
On a balmy summer afternoon Ali Brown once again was called upon to deliver his spin medley of Off Breaks to the left-handers and Leg Spin to the right - taking a rare wicket, much to the delight of the small crowd. He's a popular, highly enthusiastic player and will have greatly enjoyed another go in his part time role.
Adam Hollioake bowled his assortment of curious deliveries from the other end, taking some time to settle as, for a brief time NZA actually reduced the required rate. He did however, as so often, take the key wicket, on this occasion Marshall, who batted excellently for his 78.
After Salisbury's excellent 10-4-17-4 allocation brought Carl Greenidge back into the attack, Martin swung the bat manfully but with Hamilton, unlike Salisbury, Batty and Ratcliffe being a true No 10's No 10 there was nothing left to the match, NZ continued to go through the motions Greenidge finished up with 10-2-32-1, a sterling performance, and proof that Surrey's pace reserves are far stronger than was credited this time last year.
The end, as one sided one dayers do came, not with a bang, but with a whimper, it was a shame that some superb fielding and an axcellent innings by Marshall found so little support, but much of the bowling was greatly outclassed by Surrey and there was no answer to Salisbury's current form or Carl Greenidge, Ben, perhaps not fully recovered and Ali Brown were not weak enough links in the home terams bowling to offer any hope against a team from which Bicknell, Tudor and Saqlain were rested. Slow left armer Martin was fun to watch bat though and showed real spirit until he skied one to Nadeem from the bowling of Ratcliffe in the penultimate over.
Although Surrey's middle order powerhouse is still short of runs their form this season continues to improve.
