Azhar launches Surrey towards T20 quarter finals
Published 2 July 2007
Azhar Mahmood and Rikki Clarke took Surrey to victory at a canter by smashing 34 runs in only ten balls to race past Kent’s score of 131 and to almost certain qualification for the Twenty20 Quarter Finals.
The pair were brought together with the Brown Caps in the ominous position of 69 for four, having just lost their two most experienced players Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher in consecutive deliveries.
After surviving the hatrick ball, Mahmood did not look back, as he played shots all round the ground before finishing up 39 not out from only 19 deliveries. Rikki Clarke was not slow at the other end as his supporting role of an unbeaten 22 came from just 13 balls.
Earlier in the evening, Butcher had won the toss and elected to field first on a lively Beckenham wicket. Surrey’s quicks did the job for their side, as the Spitfires slumped to first 16 for two and then 41 for four.
The introduction of Chris Schofield put the home team in deeper trouble, as his four overs yielded just 18 runs whilst he cleared the middle order with three wickets. It was only thanks to some lusty hitting from Simon Cook that Kent managed to get up to their eventual total of 131 for eight.
Surrey got off to a decent start more thanks to some wide new ball bowling from Yasir Arafat than anything else. However the wicket was still offering some serious assistance for the quick bowlers, demonstrated best when Ramprakash was hit flush on the helmet from a ball that appeared to be just short of a good length.
Undeterred Surrey’s number three began rebuilding the damage of losing Ali Brown, bowled for nine and James Benning run out for 12. However the Brown Caps were soon floundering when Ramprakash went caught in the deep on the leg side and was followed by his captain, who top edged a pull shot the very next ball.
Nevertheless, some very smart batting from Clarke and Mahmood, saw Surrey past the winning mark with 14 balls remaining, a result that puts the Brown Caps two points clear at the top of the South Division, with three matches still to play.
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