Author: Marcus Hook

It would be unfair to be overly critical given the extent to which the South Londoners’ roster has been ravaged by The Hundred. But what’s disappointing is their decision not to imbue the side with any overseas players – guys who can not only act as role models, but also make the Oval outfit competitive.

While Roy has made just 10 runs in four innings for the Invincibles, Jacks has hit 81 against Welsh Fire and an unbeaten 108 – the highest score ever posted in The Hundred – against last year’s champions Southern Brave.

Anyone who thinks Erik ten Hag has his work cut out reviving the fortunes of Manchester United should spare a thought for the new chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Richard Thompson.

Nick Kimber says his swashbuckling innings of 84 off just 51 balls, which very nearly helped carry Surrey’s youngsters to victory over Warwickshire last weekend, typifies the message they have been given by head coach Gareth Batty and his staff to go out and express themselves.

The Oval outfit defied similar odds by reaching the semi-finals of the competition last summer, and there’s no sign of their production line drying up, with batter Ben Geddes, 20, and all-rounder Tom Lawes, 19, pictured top, the latest to catch the eye.

Surrey are now odds on to win the County Championship, which makes me extremely uneasy because it suggests it’s theirs to lose.

Surely, if you’ve finished in the top four of your group, you’ve earned the right to be at full strength for the business end, not significantly weakened.

As many as 10 key players – five on each side – could be missing from Wednesday night’s Vitality Blast quarter-final between Surrey and Yorkshire Vikings at the Kia Oval. But the prize that awaits the winner is a trip to finals day on July 16.

Surrey’s head coach Gareth Batty is confident the South Londoners can return to winning ways in the Vitality Blast, after suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Sussex and Essex.

Surrey continue to demonstrate that the upside to losing players to international calls is the chance to blood youngsters who, invariably it would seem, repay the faith by grabbing their opportunities with both hands.

A significant world record was trumped last week, with England racking up 498-4 against the Netherlands – the highest total in List A one-day cricket. The record was previously held by Surrey, who posted 496-4 against Gloucestershire in 2007.

Surrey’s Conor McKerr said he has never celebrated a victory as much as the one he sealed against Somerset in the Vitality Blast on Tuesday.

Jamie Overton puts his resurgence with Surrey down to a new found confidence. The 28-year-old fast bowler, who is delivering with bat as well as ball for the South Londoners, was back in Taunton this week, giving his former team-mates a working over.

Surrey star Ollie Pope repaid the faith shown in him by England’s new management by hitting a Test career best 145 yesterday as his country piled on 383 runs against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

South East Stars’ skipper Bryony Smith does not view having to reach Saturday’s final of the Charlotte Edwards Cup via the play-off as a disadvantage, not least because her side travel to finals day at Northampton as the defending T20 champions in the women’s domestic game.

Surrey remain the team to beat. Indeed, at the time of writing, they’re the only county yet to lose a game this season in any format.

Will Jacks and Jason Roy both hit sparkling half-centuries as Surrey stretched their unbeaten start to this summer’s Vitality Blast to six matches, by crushing Sussex Sharks by seven wickets at the Kia Oval last night.