Our season of sorrow at Surrey

 
Tributes in memory of Surrey cricketer Tom Maynard
19 September 2012

Tom Maynard’s death left the county in a state of shock this summer. Here our diarists Stuart Meaker and Gareth Batty say farewell to a traumatic campaign at The Oval.

  • Standard Sport: It must have been a long and hard campaign for the club this year but what would you say has been your most memorable moment?

Stuart Meaker: It was when we won our last home game against Nottinghamshire, meaning we had secured our position in Division One for next season. It was also the game where I was presented with my county cap, which was the end of a pretty long journey for me.

Gareth Batty: The most memorable moment was the worst moment — but for us to be able to turn that unbelievably huge negative to even the tiniest positive is a superb achievement for everyone at the club. After Tom’s death the objective for the team became to just be there for each other.

  • Tom’s death was obviously a massive turning point in your season. In what ways do you think it has affected you as a team?

GB: We started our season with big ambitions and everyone talking about what we could achieve. We were ultra positive and going firmly in the right direction. Before Tom’s death we were top in CB40, top in the Twenty20 and unlucky not be in a better position in the Championship. When he died, everyone’s world just fell apart.

  • Were there any particular players in the Surrey squad who impressed you this year?

SM: Given the circumstances — losing three key batsmen [Rory Hamilton-Brown, Tom Maynard and Mark Ramprakash] to watch Rory Burns, Zafar Ansari and Arun Harinath come through and grab their opportunity was awesome. They are guys I’ve been playing with all my life and to see them make a big contribution that helped us stay in the division was fantastic. Also — because he won’t say this himself — Gareth was given the chance to lead the side, has stayed strong emotionally and without his guidance we would not have stayed where we were.

  • What about any particular moment? What will you take away with you this year?

GB: That’s easy, I will always be able to remember it like it was yesterday. Arun Harinath and Rory Burns had put on a great partnership against Middlesex at The Kia Oval and neither of them had yet scored a County Championship hundred. Arun was the first to get there — and to see grown men cry because they were so moved by their team-mate’s achievement was something that will sit with me forever.

SM: I remember that moment as well. I was driving very fast on the motorway because the England Lions game had just finished and I wanted to be back in time to buy Arun a six pack of Red Bull because I knew he’d be running on empty by the time he was finished batting!

  • What’s happening for you two over the winter then?

SM: I’ve been included in the England Performance Programme so will be travelling to India in mid-November ready to step into the Test side if I’m required. After Christmas I hope I’ll be going to Australia with the England Lions.

GB: The next few weeks will see a stag do in Barcelona and a couple of charity golf trips. Once I’ve rinsed my liver out I’ll be back in training at the Kia Oval in mid-October as well as stepping up preparations for my wedding in January.

  • Finally, what are your thoughts about Surrey’s prospects in 2013?

GB: I think we’re in as good a shape for 2013 as we were in 2012. At the start of 2012 we were on a huge high about where this group of young players can take our club and — all being well — we will be challenging on all fronts in 2013.

SM: We all hope to see England win the Ashes at the Kia Oval in late August —and a few weeks later we want to be picking up the County Championship in the same spot.

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