Surrey break record one-day total as they cruise to victory
Published 29 April 2007
Surrey demolished Gloucestershire today at the Brit Oval by a mammoth 257 runs to make it two wins from as many outings in the Friends Provident competition.
It was records aplenty as Surrey racked up the highest ever one-day total ever (496-4) in a limited overs match, eclipsing the world cup finalists, Sri Lanka, who had scored 443-7 last July against the Netherlands.
The Surrey charge began with Ali Brown leaving fellow big hitter, James Benning for dead in the scoring stakes. 
Ali Brown brought up his hundred from just 50 balls The 37-year-old, racing to his 19th one-day hundred from just 50 deliveries, at a rate quicker than his scorching 268 he hit here five years earlier against Glamorgan. However Benning still was striking at better than a run a ball and reached his three figures in a partnership with Brown that yielded 294 runs-the highest partnership, for any wicket, in limited overs cricket for Surrey.
Brown eventually fell, bowled by Marcus North for 176 off just 97 deliveries but not before he smashed an incredible 20 fours and eight sixes that stunned the Brit Oval crowd.
The slaughter did not end there either. Benning continued on his merry way, helping himself to 15 fours and four sixes as he gave the England selectors a timely reminder of his continually good form in the one-day arena. He eventually succumbed for 152 but his departure saw the introduction of Rikki Clarke who looked like a man in a hurry.
After seeing the back of two danger men in Benning and Brown, captain Alex Gidman must have thought that he could stem the flow of runs but things appeared to go from bad to worse as Jonathan Batty and Clarke picked up from where the two openers left off. The pair smashed the visitors to all parts and in a quick fire stand of 68, they got Surrey past the domestic one-day record total of 438, set by Adam Hollioake’s men in 2002, in the 47th over and then off the very first ball of the next over, passed Sri Lanka’s world record score of 343.
The Surrey team in front of the record scoreboard
Clarke had the ball on a string, picking gaps in the field for fun and his breezy innings, lasting just 28 balls, yielded him an incredible 82 runs undefeated, helping Surrey post a total just four runs shy of the magical 500 mark.
With the ball, Surrey were disciplined, with Mohammad Akram proving the most potent as he took 4-36 from 6.1 overs.
The record score of 496-4 was always going to be insurmountable for the visitors and they crashed to 239 all out in the 35th over, their biggest ever one-day defeat and the biggest losing margin in terms of runs between two first-class counties ever.
Surrey now have two out of two wins in this competition with their next outing against Middlesex on 13 May at the Brit Oval. However, their thoughts will again turn to the four-day version of the game when they take on Lancashire this Wednesday at Old Trafford.
Highlights of this match, as well as highlights of today’s game will be available on Surrey TV.
Surrey v Gloucestershire match scorecard
Add to Del.icio.us Digg it share on Facebook (What is this?)
