Ben Foakes admits Surrey may need to get ‘creative’ on away surfaces as opponents look to nullify fast bowlers

BY MARCUS HOOK

When Surrey’s Ben Foakes was dropped from England’s Test team it was said to be due, in part, to concerns regarding his ability to shepherd the tail.

The 32-year-old keeper-batter has now scored 433 runs at an average of 86.60 in this year’s County Championship, including a career best 174 from 361 balls against Warwickshire. The last 107 of them contributed to a 158-run 10th-wicket stand with Matt Fisher on a flat pitch at Edgbaston, where Surrey responded to their hosts 665-5 declared by racking up 504.

Foakes was central to the South Londoners preserving their unbeaten record this season.

When Jason Roy, making his first red-ball appearance in five years, departed for two, the Oval outfit were 217-5 – still some 300 runs shy of the follow-on target.

“I have felt alright so far this season,” said Foakes. “We have played on some pretty good pitches away from home and I have managed to cash in.

“We had one job to do – just to bat as long as possible. Matt batted really well. It helped that he is not really a number 11.

“After we lost some wickets to go five down, it was just about trying to occupy the crease, bat sensibly and earn a draw. I do bat sensibly, so it fitted my mould.”

Surrey’s three matches away from home this season have produced just 47 wickets in 12 days of cricket, leading to suggestions their opponents are preparing surfaces that negate the threat posed by their battery of fast bowlers.

“It’s not easy taking wickets on these pitches,” said Foakes. “So, we have got to try and work out ways to get wickets.

“There definitely are ways to get wickets. You’ve got to be creative on pitches like this.

“Maybe we might look at some other ways, like creating rough if we are going to play on these surfaces.

“The effort from the bowlers has been brilliant. We know at The Oval it does a bit for the seamers, and we have a formula for there where you don’t really need to stray too far from the top of off stump.

“On pitches like this that, potentially, doesn’t work as well. But there are definitely challenges you can throw out there to make it more difficult for batters.”

Foakes’ reputation for being the best wicketkeeper in the country was underlined again. Warwickshire’s 665-5 is now the highest total against Surrey in which no byes were conceded, beating the 599 Lancashire made at the Oval in 2003, when Jon Batty was the South Londoners’ gloveman.

But Foakes has seemingly accepted that his international career is over.

“They [England] have picked four keepers since me, all young guys,” said Foakes. “So, I think it’s quite clear they’re looking to the future. Worrying or stressing or trying to work out where you are in the pecking order just doesn’t help.”

Bryony Smith hit a match-winning hundred at Taunton to help lay the platform for Surrey Women’s second victory of the season in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

The Surrey skipper hit 110 off 103 balls, struck 15 fours and dominated crucial stands of 100 and 134 with Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley, for the first and third wickets respectively, as the visitors posted 306-7. Somerset, in reply, could only make 215.

“We really needed that result and performance,” said Smith. “It’s not been the start to the season we would have liked, but we knew we had it in us to win like that, and the girls really put in a good shift.

“Starting fast is something we talk about a lot and, no matter what stage of the game, if you get a bad ball, you have to put it away.

“Danni and I do that together well, and it goes on right down our batting line-up.

“Things have not gone to plan with the ball recently, but we always back ourselves to defend big scores and the girls knew what they had to do.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD