Another dramatic NatWest Pro40 ended in victory for the Brown Caps as Jade Dernbach smashed a six off the last ball of the game to take Surrey past the Foxes’ total of 231.

Half centuries from Mark Ramprakash, Mark Butcher and Matthew Nicholson took Surrey up towards their target, however, three wickets in four balls and with Nicholson starved of the strike the equation became four required from the last two balls. In a gripping display, Dernbach held his nerve to strike a two before smashing the last ball of the game over the sightscreen for six to give Surrey victory.

Although they lost HD Ackerman early on, Leicestershire started brightly with the second wicket partnership taking the score up past 100. Both Tom New and John Sadler brought up half centuries before Mark Butcher introduced the spin of Rory Hamilton-Brown and Murtasa Hussain. The two off spinners slowed the scoring rate dramatically, which brought about the breakthrough for Surrey.

Hamilton-Brown picked up three wickets in a very economical spell of bowling but another handy partnership for the Foxes gave them hope of posting a total of more than 250. This was not to be the case however, as Dernbach and Chris Jordan returned at the death to pick up handy wickets and limit the home team to 231 for eight from their 40 overs.

Leicestershire’s opening bowler, Jermaine Taylor, gave Surrey the worst possible start as James Benning and Scott Newman departed early in the Brown Caps’ innings. Ali Brown followed soon after, but Ramprakash continued his fine form to strike his way to a better than a run-a-ball half century.

Meanwhile, he was gaining some decent support from Butcher, who was also timing the ball to the boundary and looking in fine form. Nevertheless, as Surrey seemed to be cruising to victory, Ramprakash was run out in the most unlucky manner, as Claude Henderson deflected the ball onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Surrey’s number three out of his ground.

The scoring rate slowed from this point, with Surrey losing regular wickets in the middle sector of their innings. The pendulum of fortune swung back in the Brown Caps’ favour when Nicholson came to the crease as he continually found the boundary.

His regular striking, including two consecutive sixes gave Surrey the upper hand, but the loss of Butcher followed by three more wickets brought Surrey into the last over still requiring nine runs. Another straight boundary from the Australian quick bowler followed by a single, handed the baton to Dernbach, who gleefully took his side to victory, with an enormous six back over the bowler’s head.

Sadly for Surrey, Middlesex went to victory down at Taunton meaning that they clinch the third place in the division and as such the promotion play off against third bottom of division one.

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