A fantastic rearguard from Mark Butcher and Matthew Nicholson saved the game for Surrey as the pair batted out the last 21 overs of the day to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat.

Scott Newman and the night watchman Neil Saker could only see Surrey through the first half an hour before both players were dismissed in quick succession. Saker was the first to go, clipping a ball from Gareth Batty straight into the hands of short-leg and in the following over Newman was caught behind, leaving Surrey 75 for three.

On the fourth day pitch, Batty was causing a few problems getting both turn and variable bounce out of the rough created by the left-arm bowling of Doug Bollinger. He operated for nearly the whole of the first session and picked up the wicket of Ali Brown for just 11 caught at silly point.

Ramprakash battled on with his typical determination but after scoring 33, he went caught at slip chasing after a wide delivery. With Surrey in trouble, Rikki Clarke and Azhar Mahmood saw their side to the lunch break on 133 for five.

Upon resumption, the pair started to find their touch with Clarke striking the ball straight and Mahmood on one occasion smashing a Kyle Hogg slower ball back over his head for six. Sadly for Surrey, this was not to last as Mahmood was trapped in front of all three and subsequently given out for 44.

A good partnership between Clarke and Butcher started to mature and give Surrey supporters the belief that they may save the game. However this soon changed when Batty got the breakthrough for his side again. Clarke had just begun to find his form when a turning delivery shot low to strike the all rounder on his pad. He was adjudged lbw for 41 leaving Surrey still trailing by 110 runs.
The new batsman Chris Schofield supported his captain to take Surrey to the break however shortly after the interval, the leg spinner went in the same mode as Clarke. Surrey were then left nine down and staring at defeat when Ian Salisbury fended off a leaping delivery from Batty to slip.

With 20 overs left in the day, it appeared as though it would only be a matter of time until Worcestershire would finish Surrey off to pick up their first win of the season. However the wicket they required did not come as Nicholson and Butcher doggedly defended Vikram Solanki’s every tactical move.

Incredibly both Butcher and Nicholson managed to survive the last 21 overs and save Surrey from almost certain defeat.

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