Lancashire vs Surrey, County Championship Divison One, Today Match Prediction 06 April 2023

lancs vs sur Match Prediction & Analysis

It is the 2nd game of the County Championship Division One 2023, and we expect a close contest between two of the strongest teams. Lancashire, who missed the title by a small margin last season, will take on the defending champions Surrey. It is the first game for both teams, and they will eye a confident start in the tournament.  

Lancashire defeated Surrey in the tournament's last edition, and the side would like to draw inspiration from that win. They play on their home ground, which will be an advantage for the side. Surrey won't be a pushover though they miss key players due to injury. They have the right balance in the squad. The side winning this game will carry the momentum forward for the rest of the season.  

TEAMS PREVIEW

Lancashire Preview

Keaton Jennings' side will look to end their 12-year drought in the tournament. The side finished second behind Surrey, and they will count their chances this season. They defeated Surrey in the last edition, and Jennings would like his players to draw inspiration from that win. The players know these conditions and shall like to start with a win.  

Keaton Jennings was the highest run-getter last season and, along with Luke Wells, forms a solid pair and will look to deliver a solid start in this game. Josh Bohannon will have to anchor the innings with Steven Croft and Colin de Grandhomme in the middle order. The side would also expect to see runs from the bats of George Bell and George Balderson down the order.   

The side has a good bowling attack for this surface, and they will need early wickets from Tom Bailey and Will Williams. Matt Parkinson and George Balderson must bowl well, as their opponents have a strong batting line-up. Tom Hartley and Colin de Grandhomme need to do well in the supporting role.

Lancashire Predicted Playing XI:

Keaton Jennings (c), Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft, George Balderson, Tom Hartley, Tom Bailey, George Bell (wk), Will Williams, Matt Parkinson, Colin de Grandhomme

Surrey Preview

Rory Burns' side will look to start from where they left last season. They have retained the core team from the last season and shall look for a complete team effort. Burns will be aware of the strength his opponents have. He must lead from the front and make a convincing start as they defend their title.  

The side will need a good start in this game from Rory Burns and Ryan Patel. Dominic Sibley's return makes it a strong middle order, and he will look to add runs with Jamie Smith and Cameron Steel. The side bats deep, with Jordan Clarke, Ben Geddes, and Daniel Worrall down the order, and the side will expect runs from them  

The side will expect tight spells with the new ball from Jordan Clarke and Gus Atkinson, as their opponents have a strong batting line-up. Dan Moriarty and Tom Lawes must keep up the pressure on the opponents in this game. Cameron Steel needs to do well in the supporting role. 

Surrey Predicted Playing XI:

Rory Burns (c), Ryan Patel, Dominic Sibley, Jamie Smith (wk), Cameron Steel, Jordan Clarke, Tom Lawes, Dan Moriarty, Gus Atkinson, Daniel Worrall, Ben Geddes

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

There are expectations of slight showers at Manchester on the first three days of the game and with the cloud cover, batting would be tough. The pitch offers swing and lateral movement in such conditions and the bowlers would be looking to make the best out of the helpful pitch on Day 1 and 2 of the game.

Venue Details

Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, has been a good ground for the batsmen and the bowlers. Fast bowlers enjoy bowling in the first session, while batsmen have done well in the last two sessions, with Day 2 and 3 mostly belonging to the batsmen. The pitch does assist the spinners on the last two days where they get the ball to turn sharply and bounce.

Toss: To Bowl

The overcast conditions at the venue would make it difficult to bat in the opening session on Day 1, where bowlers could make the best use of the conditions. The skipper winning the toss would want to utilize these conditions to advantage by inviting the opposition to bat first on this surface.