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Pretorius rips Surrey to pieces

Monday, May 10 2004

Dewald Pretorius took just a couple of overs to put this game out of the reach of the Surrey line-up after a solid batting display had left a challenging target.

Warwickshire had earlier in the day elected to bat, and despite the early lost of Mark Wagh to Azhar Mahmood, Neil Carter was in a typically violent mood as he cracked 30 runs from just 17 balls before becoming Mahmood's second victim.

From the bright start, Warwickshire's middle order were able to settle in and although wickets fell at reasonably regular intervals, runs were coming at a solid rate. Trevor Penney upped the rate further when he came in, with 44 from 42 balls (out of a stand of 61) that had the Bears in sight of a big total, and when Dougie Brown replaced him and blasted 28 from 21 balls, Surrey needed inspiration.

Mahmood was the one to provide it as he removed Brown and Brad Hogg in conseuctive balls before getting an edge from Graham Wagg's second ball to reduce the score from 210-5 to 210-8.

Ian Trott still remained though, and he upped the scoring in a priceless stand of 28 for the 9th wicket, and although Adam Hollioake removed him and last man Pretorius (to the last ball of the alloted overs), a score of 240 was satisfactory.

Azhar Mahmood lead the attack in style, taking 5-24 from his 9 overs, but Saqlain apart, the rest of the attack was expensive, Hollioake conceding 47 from only 5 overs.

Surrey needed a good start, and with 4 English Internationals in the top 5, could've expected to get just that.

Pretorius had other ideas in a sensational start to the innings. He dismissed Scott Newman with the 3rd ball of the innings, then proceeded to pick up Mark Butcher and Graeme Thorpe in consecutive balls in his next over and Surrey were 5-3, all 3 men having got ducks.

That 3 became 4 when Rikki Clarke was trapped leg before wicket by Carter to make the score a woeful 7-4.

Mahmood came in at 6, and with Mark Ramprakash the ship was steadied a little, but Pretorius wasn't finished, and he removed the Pakistani all rounder for 8 to make it 34-5.
Ramprakash and Hollioake at least made it into double figures before they went, and at 86-7, the end was nigh.

A brief flurry from captain Jon Batty who hit 52 from 79 balls and Tim Murtagh (28 from 27) at least brought the score up to respectability before Ian Bell continued his recent good form with the ball, bowling Batty and Carter returned to finish it off by bowling Murtagh with Surrey 45 runs short and 4 overs unbowled.

The one area of concern for Warwickshire captain Nick Knight will be that his bowlers conceded 44 runs in extras (including 23 wide deliveries) - against a side that isn't reduced to 7-4 that may be more telling.

Warwickshire 240
Trott 49, Penney 44, Bell 32, Carter 30, Mahmood 5-24
Surrey 195
Batty 52, Pretorius 4-36, Carter 3-37

Posted by Marc