Surrey finished the season fourth in the LV County Championship after a 24 run win over Lancashire at the Brit Oval.

On a dramatic final day of the season at the Brit Oval Surrey's bowlers prevailed to record a win that lifted them to fourth in the table. To watch the highlights of the days play click here. After being in the relegation zone after 12 matches Surrey completed a remarkable turn around to the LV County Championship season. Mark Butcher spoke to Surrey TV and said he was delighted and very proud of his team (Click here to watch the interview).

The morning started brightly for Lancashire as Paul Horton came out playing his shots at some loose bowling from Chris Jordan. However, Jordan claimed the first wicket of the innings when Horton was unlucky to be given out down the leg-side to a rising delivery that may have only brushed his arm, Horton out for 39, Lancashire 56 for 1. Lancashire captain Mark Chilton looked to play the holding role despite Lancashire requiring around five runs an over to reach the target of 489, but with VVS Laxman coming in at number three any loose bowling was being hit to the boundary. Laxman and Chilton had put on 58 for the second wicket before Chilton came down the pitch to Murtaza Hussain, he played inside a ball that did not turn and Jonathan Batty had time to take the stumping chance after initially dropping the ball, Chilton out for 30.

Laxman was joined by Stuart Law and the pair played positively, scoring plenty of boundaries, and reached 178 for 2 at lunch. The pair continued after the break and Laxman dominated the partnership, but four balls after reaching a special century Laxman top edged a short ball from Salisbury that he could have hit anywhere, but he only managed to find Mark Ramprakash running in from the mid-wicket boundary. Leaving Lancashire on 229 for three and still 260 runs required. The wicket was to be the last for Salisbury for Surrey.

Throughout the afternoon session Law batted with ease as he punished any loose ball to the boundary and picked up singles against the spinners. Salisbury consistently provided four balls, which allowed Lancashire to keep scoring at five runs an over. Steven Croft was also scoring freely and played very well against the short bowling that the Surrey seamers had resorted to in order to stem the flow of runs.

With Law and Croft playing positively Lancashire were still very much on course, but after putting on 77 for the fourth wicket, Jade Dernbach made the breakthrough. Dernbach bowled a pivotal over as he first had Law caught behind by Batty diving down the leg-side for 79. Four balls later and a repeat occurred as Croft fell to Dernbach for 45. Lancashire 307 for five and still needing 182 to win.

Glen Chapple came to the wicket and continued with the attacking shots, taking a liking to Hussain. Ultimately though Chapple’s attempts to hit over the top caused his downfall as he holed out to long-on for 29. The new ball was taken and that created extra bounce that lead to Luke Sutton to miss-hit a cut straight to James Benning at point for 32 as Jordan picked up his second wicket of the innings.

The constant battler, Dominic Cork kept Lancashire hoops alive and was about to create history for Lancashire and although each batsman came to the crease and hit some boundaries wickets continued to fall. Sajid Mahmood falling to Hussain for 26 off 25 balls and then Dernbach claimed the wicket of Newby as Cork was left with Gary Keedy with the score on 452. Cork tried to take on all the run scoring but eventually fell to Hussain, who finished with four wickets, as Lancashire were all out 25 runs short.

Surrey’s win lifted them above both Yorkshire and Hampshire in the LV County Championship and finish the season in fourth place. Lancashire ended up finishing third as Sussex claimed the title for the second year in a row.

To watch the highlights of the days play click here.

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