Dan Worrall, a true master of the new ball, has been instrumental for Surrey in securing a three-peat of County Championships.
This season, the 33-year-old snapped up 52 Division One wickets whilst averaging better than anyone who took 10 wickets or more, at a mind-blowing rate of 16.15.
Ever since he arrived at the Three Feathers, the Kia Oval has been a prime hunting ground for Worrall and his outswing, where the seamer has claimed 90 wickets, including seven five-fors, at an astonishing average of under 18!
Back in May, Worcestershire got a taste of Worrall’s genius as he collected 10 for 57 to secure a 281-run victory for Surrey. Below is an analysis of his mastery of the new Dukes in that fixture.
Worrall’s new ball magic v Worcesershire
In the final session on day one, Worrall wowed the crowd with a new-ball burst, taking three wickets for 16 from a seven-over marathon shift that included four maidens. He continued to dominate the Pears’ batters, finishing the innings with terrific figures of six for 22.
The 23-ball working over of Jake Libby – Worcestershire’s key batter – where the Pears opener struggled to even get a single run, encapsulates Worrall’s precision as a quick and how adept he is in working out a batter.
When bowling to the right-handed Libby, the Surrey seamer sent 82% of his deliveries in the fourth-fifth stump channel outside off, with 18 of them landing within the 6-8m good length region. But ultimately, Worrall did the damage with one of the four, full outswingers, bowled to lure out the stuck batter.
Below is a ball-by-ball analysis of Worrall’s spell to Libby, showcasing his mastery of the new Dukes:
Over 1 – Maiden vs right-hander Libby
1.1: On a cold day and under grey skies, Worrall is charged up and on the money from the very first ball. He hits the top of off and forces the batter to get his feet moving straight up.
1.2: The Surrey quick wastes no time in unfurling his subtle variations as he delivers from wide of the crease and goes much fuller and wider, inviting the opener – expecting him to be a tad tentative early morning – to drive at his looping outswinger.
1.3 & 1.4: Back from his usual release point, Worrall returns to his stock delivery – hitting the outside off channel from a good length as Libby leaves twice.
1.5: Wider of the crease again, this time Worrall angling the new Dukes in, rather than taking it away from the right-hander, ensuring the Pears’ batter has to use his blade whilst not offering him a scoring opportunity.
1.6: Back to stock, top of off from a good length, nothing to work with for Libby.
Over 3 – Another maiden vs Libby
3.1: Starts his second over patiently with a slightly wide outswinger that is not full enough for Libby to chase, so he lets it go through to Ben Foakes’ gloves.
3.2: Worrall comes ever so slightly closer to Libby, who this time cannot resist, throwing his bat for a square drive but finding the fielder at backward point.
3.3: The Surrey seamer straightaway pulls his length back while maintaining the outside-off line. Libby, for a ninth consecutive delivery, cannot get off the mark.
3.4: Following three outswingers in a row, Worrall attacks the stumps and tests Libby’s defence with an angled delivery that nips in towards the Pears’ opener.
3.5: Back to his stock ball again, Libby shoulders his arms against Worrall’s wide, away swinger.
3.6: Worrall closes a successive maiden by tempting Libby with the most full delivery of his over. The Worcestershire opener obliges with a check drive for none.
Over 8 – Third maiden vs Libby
7.1 & 7.2: Fresh from getting his first wicket and back bowling at Libby, who is by now stuck on nought after 17 dots, Worrall begins with two probing out-swinging, seaming-away deliveries that, due to their tight line and length, bind Libby to his crease.
7.3: Following the two identical out-swingers, the 33-year-old attempts the big in-swinger, losing his radar for the first time that morning and is rescued by a diving Foakes.
7.4: Not letting the previous delivery affect his momentum, Worrall responds by bowling an absolute peach. With the seam angling towards Libby, the ball straightens after landing, going past the batter’s outside edge. Because of Worrall’s in-between length, Libby – who is beaten all ends up - is caught at his crease, neither forward nor fully behind.
7.5: Attempting a repeat of the previous delivery, Worrall angles it in and hits his length but doesn’t find the nip away as Libby is well behind the line on this occasion.
7.6: Keeping the Worcestershire opener on his toes, Worrall ends his third maiden versus Libby with a sharp bouncer.
Over 10 – Worrall gets his hard-earned reward
9.1: Into his fifth over of the spell, Worrall perseveres with his metronomic line and length in order to keep Libby, who is on one from 25 balls, in the firing line. He starts with his standard out-swinger in the outside-off channel that is left alone by Libby.
9.2: Wider of the crease, Worrall attacks the stumps and brings one back into Libby from a good length. The opener is forced to defend it back to the bowler.
9.3 & 9.4: Tinkering with his variations but not offering any leeway to the batter, Worrall delivers two more deliveries from wide of the crease but opts for an outswinger on both occasions. Libby leaves twice.
9.5: Fourth time in a row, Worrall releases from slightly wide of the crease, goes fuller, and bowls his sharpest delivery of the day, clocked at 86.6 mph – rather than leaving Libby, it swiftly seams in and bowls the Worcestershire opener through the gate. Having been tied up all morning, Libby goes for an expansive drive and loses his off-stump.
