Surrey County Cricket Club has confirmed that West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach will return for a fifth spell with the club to play in their final four matches of the season.
The 36-year-old, who played a pivotal role in Surrey’s recent successes, is set to bolster the league leaders as the defending champions seek to win their 22nd County Championship. He was confirmed in the match day squad for the clash against Nottinghamshire CCC at Trent Bridge on August 29.
Following that game, Surrey’s title run-in features an intriguing battle of first versus second on September 9, when Somerset hosts Surrey at Taunton. Their final home match at the Kia Oval will take place on September 17, when they host Durham, and the holders will wrap up their season in Chelmsford, where they will play Essex on September 26.
Roach was in fine form earlier this season, taking 18 wickets at an average of 25.77 in Surrey’s first six matches. His standout performance came against Warwickshire in May, where he claimed 6/46 in the second innings, leading Surrey to a commanding nine-wicket victory at the Kia Oval. The Barbados-born seamer, who has 273 Test wickets for the West Indies, has taken 91 wickets overall for Surrey across his previous stints.
Expressing his excitement about rejoining the squad, Roach voiced his satisfaction with returning to add to his 546 first-class wickets. “It’s great to be back at my second home with Surrey, and I’ve kept a close eye on the boys from afar. We know what the goal is, and I’m going to give everything to achieve it!” he said.
Roach’s fourth spell with Surrey ended in May after a knee issue ruled him out of his final match, a heavy defeat to Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl. Without Roach, Surrey struggled as Hampshire amassed 608-6 declared in their first innings, eventually losing by an innings and 265 runs. The South London club currently leads the table with 180 points from ten matches, closely followed by Somerset, who are second with 145 points.
Most recently, Roach featured in West Indies’ two-match Test series against South Africa at home earlier this month, which they lost 1-0. The leader of the attack took match figures of 3-92 in the drawn Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad, but he was dropped in favour of Shamar Joseph for the following one in Providence, Guyana, which the hosts lost by 40 runs.
Written by Jonteau Coppin
