All the talk in the build up to the start of Surrey’s season was about one of two people—Kevin Pietersen or Kumar Sangakkara.
Pietersen, ever a magnet for speculation, had returned to Surrey when it had seemed for a time that he was done with English domestic cricket. Instead, he was back,and looking to force his way back into England’s stuttering Test side.
Sangakkara arrived fresh off a spectacular personal performance at the World Cup, where he set a record with four centuries in consecutive matches. Still a fearsome power, even at 37 years of age, this year’s World Cup was his farewell to international cricket, as he committed to a two-season long career curtain call for Surrey.
As Surrey arrived at The Oval, their home in Kennington, South London for their first home match of the County Championship season, against Essex, the talk has shifted slightly.
A draw at Glamorgan the previous week had seen a Pietersen half-century in the second innings, and a fine 149 from Sangakkara in his first innings for Surrey. Both, however, were overshadowed by twenty-eight year old Steven Davies, the batsman scoring his maiden double century as part of a stand of 294 with Sangakkara, as Surrey put on 563 for seven wickets before declaring in the first innings. A week later, at tea on the first day against Essex, the Oval pavilion was ablaze with chatter about Davies.
“Kumar batted very well, 149 first time out, and they possibly could’ve pushed for the win rather than the draw, but it was so nice to see Davies get his two-hundred,” said one of the faithful, who was inspecting the Surrey County Cricket Club branded umbrellas in the club shop, on what was a cold and overcast April Sunday afternoon.
Sangakkara continued his good form with another half century, before falling LBW to New Zealand international all-rounder Jesse Ryder. Ryder himself has an interesting story, with Essex rebuilding a career that has been blighted by off-field incidents, including one bar brawl that left him in a medically induced coma. However, his is a story for another day. Davies, meanwhile, again overshadowed Sangakkara and Pietersen—who made 32—with a fine and fluent 81 in the first innings.
Davies joined Surrey five years ago, having started his career at Worcestershire. Initially an opening batsman and wicket-keeper, he has found his home in the middle order as a specialist batsman for Surrey. With a first-class average that has just ticked past 40, and a handful of appearances for England in both T20 and One Day Internationals, he is one of the group of nearly men, alongside Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales and Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth, who are hovering around the outskirts of the Test squad.
Hales and Lyth are knocking a little louder at the door. Hales appearing in the World Cup, and carrying an incremental central contract with ECB. Lyth has been carrying drinks for the Test side in the West Indies, but also fell just eleven shy of 1500 runs in the last county season.
Davies last appeared for England in 2011, playing in ODIs and T20 games alongside the Ashes tour in Australia. But, more than a thousand runs last season and more than 300 in his three innings so far this year, have begun murmurings of his deserving a recall.
The England setup is dealing with some turbulence. Andrew Strauss seems set to take on the role as director of English cricket, after previous incumbent Paul Downton left the job in April. Michael Vaughan has ruled himself out, and Alec Stewart, who does a similar job for Surrey, seems as though he’s not terribly keen on the role as described. For Pietersen, of whom Stewart has been a long-time advocate and supporter, Strauss taking the role with the ECB might spell the end of his hopes of recall. Those bridges have been too comprehensively burned.
But for Davies, while the appointment of Stewart might smooth the way, another candidate wouldn’t close the door. England’s batting line-up needs refreshing, and although finding Jonathan Trott’s replacement at the top of the order will be the first task on the list—Lyth surely deserves his chance—if Steven Davies keeps making runs, he ought to keep his phone on too.
