SURREY BREAK THE GLOS' GRIP ON LORD'S

This B & H Final was not as popular as those previous provoking more discussion on the number of County One Day competitions and the cricket public's perceived elasticity of demand!

B & H Final Lord's London, Saturday July 15th 2001

Both Counties suffered defeats in the recent C & G Knock out so neither was coming to Lord's on the crest of a wave.

Glos who lost a thriller to Durham looked to their experience at the one day game and familiarity with Lord's and the big occassion to see them through against opponents who on paper look stronger.

Surrey crossed the river for Lord's knowing that their line up even without the injured Thorpe has much greater depth in all departments not least talent.

But as the cliche says 'on the day anything can happen' and temperament plays as important a part as raw talent.

Both skippers are men of immense experience in the one day game but Stewart has had to endure the morale sapping disaster of leading England in the recent NatWest Triseries.Mark Ramprakash was one player eager to make his mark at Lord's his former home ground.

The weather forecast was not great for this final but although damp at the outset with a delayed start the match was played to a finish without interuption in front of a half empty Lord's. The Glos' supporters won the singing prize but it was a day of a good warm support by a cricket knowledgeable crowd supporting their team.

Adam Hollioake won the toss and elected to bat and the Surrey inning hurried along at a good pace. The downside was the regular fall or wickets some carelessly like the fluent and impressive Ramprakash who then hit an Alleyne long hop down mid wicket's throat on the boundary.

At 118-5 the crucial point in the innings arrived if not the game. In the event Glos failed to maintain the pressure and the two Hollioake brothers put on the winning stand of the match. Ben's innings contained a marvellous display of shots within a disciplined approach which set Surrey en route to a useful total-244.

Glos will have rued their failure at this crucial period so unlike their previous five finals. To achive a total of 245 was always at the extreme end of The West Countrymen's capacity. Someone would need to play a big innings. Instead they lost early wickets including Barnet, Windows and Harvey and yet arrived at 131-5 in theory ahead of Surrey.

To win, Alleyne and Snape had to match the brothers Hollioake but such dreams were but that. Alleyne was quickly out and although Snape tried his best the wickets kept tumbling leaving Glos all out 47 short with 25 balls still to go. Only Ben Hollioake's bowling was expensive but he was still 18 runs short of Averis's poor return of 65 runs off 10.

Hollioake's innings gave him the Man of the Match award and it turned the game Surrey's way yet it was that period of sloppiness in the field that cost Glos' the match.

Surrey deservedly took the B & H Cup and so ended Glos remarkable run of wins at Lord's. Mark Alleyne's captaincy has received many accolades over this victorious period.The West Countrymen have won many friends and admirers by the nature of their warm and wholehearted spectator support for their County eleven at Lord's over several years.

Pakistan supporters please take note!


There are still tickets available.
 

 Ben Hollioake's proves sufficient for Surrey

Benson & Hedges Cup, 2001, Final, Gloucestershire v Surrey Lord's, London, 14 July 2001 (50-over match)

Result: Surrey won by 47 runs Aand the 2001 Benson & Hedges Cup

Toss: Surrey
Umpires: JH Hampshire and KE Palmer, TV Umpire: B Leadbeater
MAN of the MATCH: BC Hollioake


SURREY Innings (50 overs maximum)
MA Butcher lbw b Harvey 0
IJ Ward c Russell b Hardinges 54
MR Ramprakash c Taylor b Alleyne 39
+AJ Stewart c Snape b Alleyne 8
AD Brown c Harvey b Alleyne 3
*AJ Hollioake lbw b Ball 39
BC Hollioake c Alleyne b Averis 73
AJ Tudor lbw b Ball 1
MP Bicknell b Harvey 19
Saqlain Mushtaq not out 1
ESH Giddins b Harvey 0
Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 244

FoW: 1-7 (Butcher), 2-71 (Ramprakash), 3-89 (Stewart), 4-97 (Brown), 5-118 (Ward), 6-202 (AJ Hollioake), 7-204 (Tudor), 8-242 (BC Hollioake), 9-244 (Bicknell), 10-244 (Giddins).

Bowling-Harvey 9.5 2 43 3 (2w),Averis 10 1 65 1 (1w), Alleyne 10 1 51 3, Ball 10 0 39 2, Hardinges 7 0 31 1, Barnett 3 0 11 0.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Innings (target: 245 runs from 50 overs)
+RC Russell c Stewart b Tudor 62
KJ Barnett b Giddins 7
DR Hewson c Bicknell b Saqlain Mushtaq 11
IJ Harvey lbw b Giddins 1
MGN Windows b Giddins 10
*MW Alleyne c & b Saqlain Mushtaq 26
JN Snape c Stewart b Tudor 22
CG Taylor b Saqlain Mushtaq 12
MA Hardinges c Stewart b Bicknell 12
MCJ Ball not out 3
JMM Averis b Tudor 1
Extras (lb 16, w 14) 30
TOTAL (all out, 45.5 overs) 197

FoW: 1-35 (Barnett), 2-68 (Hewson), 3-71 (Harvey), 4-89 (Windows), 5-131 (Russell), 6-133 (Alleyne), 7-161 (Taylor), 8-190 (Snape), 9-194 (Hardinges), 10-197 (Averis).

Bowling-Bicknell 10 1 38 1 (2w), Tudor 9.5 3 28 3 (1w), Giddins 8 1 31 3, Saqlain Mushtaq 8 0 37 3 (5w), BC Hollioake 10 0 47 0 (1w).

• B & H Semi Finals
  B & H 2001 Semi Finals Scorecards
• Gloucestershire CCC
  The Official Glos' web site
• Surrey CCC
  The new official web site for all cricket in Surrey