Worry for England as Strauss misses out again

Andrew Strauss's dismal start to the season continued today as he was dismissed for his seventh consecutive low score in the County Championship.

The England opener pulled Gloucestershire's Steve Kirby into the hands of fine leg after hitting a breezy 27 off 33 balls for Middlesex.

Strauss appeared to have shrugged off an early let-off, when wicketkeeper Steve Adshead grassed a simple chance off the fiery Kirby.

But after showing glimpses of form, the lefthander was suckered into playing an aerial hook straight to Jon Lewis on the boundary.

Strauss has now scored just 108 runs in seven Championship innings which is worrying for England since the first Test against Bangladesh begins a fortnight tomorrow. But a 74-ball fifty from Owais Shah helped take Middlesex to 150 for three after losing Strauss, Ben Hutton (14) and Ed Smith (13).

At The Oval, Scott Newman and Rikki Clarke blazed half-centuries as Surrey put the balltampering affair to one side for a few hours.

Facing bottom of the table Glamorgan, they soon lost Richard Clinton (one) - deputising for back-injury victim Graham Thorpe - and captain Mark Ramprakash (two) to the lively David Harrison.

But from 25 for two, Surrey were revived by opener Newman and all-rounder Clarke. Newman reached 50 from 69 balls while Clarke needed only 51 deliveries, thanks to 10 fours and a six. At 166 for two, they had added 141.