Marcus Hook’s Surrey CCC column: England call-ups can jeopardise fluency of Oval outfit

Two wins out of two sounds great, but it’s a question, now, of carrying that momentum into the clashes with Hampshire and Kent, both of whom are yet to get off the mark in the Vitality Blast.

One of the lessons of last season’s T20 campaign, which saw Surrey victorious in their opening three, is that England calls risk interrupting the Oval outfit’s rhythm.

I had completely overlooked the ODI series away to the Netherlands, but it’s great to see Sam Curran, Jason Roy and Reece Topley recalled to the international fold, on top of Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope getting in the Test match squad.

Given that it’s vital to win the toss and bowl first at the Oval, the most pleasing aspect of Surrey’s 37-run victory over Gloucestershire was doing it by defending such a meagre total.

Any T20 side that can afford to leave out slow left-armer Dan Moriarty, is to be feared.

Sunil Narine has shown, yet again, that spin is the way to go in the shorter formats. So, when those England calls really bite, don’t be surprised to see Moriarty forge a spin alliance with Narine.

The cost not just of Test match tickets, but also to see games in the Vitality Blast has been in the news.

Normal adult ticket prices for the first three days of this week’s Test between England and New Zealand ranged from £50-£160. But with the £50 ones being snapped up months ago, if you wanted to buy two tickets for the Lord’s Test it would have equated to a whole season’s County Membership of Surrey (£201).

As well as giving you access to every Surrey matchday, including the County Championship, the Royal London Cup, the Vitality Blast and Surrey Women matches, Surrey’s County Membership also includes The Hundred fixtures at The Kia Oval (not that the latter is a deal-clincher for some).

This week, Leicestershire slashed their ticket prices for the Vitality Blast to help what the club said was to “combat the cost of living crisis.”

For Blast bookings made in advance, the Foxes are charging £10 for adults, £8 for seniors and young adults, and £5 for U16s. Family tickets are also available for £25 for two adults and two children.

Surrey’s ticket prices for the Blast start at £31, but, as always, it’s only £1 for kids. I can guess why they have done it – to boost membership.

With a day of County Championship cricket at the Oval also costing £15 (if you book in advance), more and more people are opting to become a member.

Surrey now has more than 17,000 members – the biggest of any first-class county.

It also explains why the crowds for the first two Vitality Blast games at the Oval, despite being down on last summer, were some of the best in the first week of the T20.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD