Dunn Roamin'

Short match report, day two: Surrey v Bangladesh at the Oval

It’s impossible to write anything with Michael Vaughan laughing in the background. I don’t know why, but it’s true, so I have switched him off.

This is an abridged report, because I only heard the last quarter of the game. Work seems to be interfering with my cricket life at the moment. Ironically, it appears I can now access the live commentary at work via the internet, which is good except for two reasons: firstly I take my lunch at 13.20, which coincides with the break in play, and secondly because the IT security people would ask me to justify listening to the commentary out-with lunch. I would give them my answer; they would smile and nod, and then give me the sack. So frustrating! It’s like dangling a dark Magnum ice lolly in front of a chocoholic for several hours, just out of reach!

Highlights of today appear to have included several masterful displays by the Bangladesh batsmen, especially the 158 made by Mr Islam, and an equally worthy 89 from Ashraful. There were wickets for Evans, King and Jewell, but the story of the day was really the late success of Matthew Dunn who proceeded to take three first class wickets, including the scalp of Naeem with a very cheeky last ball of the day! I’m sure it will be a moment that young Mr Dunn will cherish. It’s also fantastic to see the home grown talent getting a go, and I applaud Chris Adams for giving them their chance in this game.

Again, it wasn’t the best of days for Usman Afzaal in the field, as he dropped an absolute dolly by the sound of it. I’m beginning to feel sorry for him a touch, because you can be sure that nameless, shadowy looking Surrey members will be spluttering into their pimms, demanding he be dropped. And it must be difficult to play your best cricket when you know your jacket’s on a shoogly peg, as we say north of the border.

Despite the wonderful batting and the breakthrough bowling, the undoubted highlight for me was when Alec Stewart took to the field once again for Surrey, temporarily replacing Afzaal. As a come-lately to cricket I didn’t have the honour of seeing Mr Stewart play for Surrey, or indeed England, so the five minute cameo rather tickled me! What can I say; I’m a sentimentalist when it comes to sport.

I’m assuming that if a result is going to come then it will most likely be Bangladesh’s victory. That’s not me being pessimistic for once, but more in the line of common sense. David may have slain Goliath, but he didn’t do it with a googly...