Five wickets for Saqlain Mushtaq were not enough to force a win against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Mark Butcher set a target of 281 for Hampshire to chase in 75 overs and the game ended in a draw when Surrey only managed to claim eight wickets. The draw and nine points move Surrey to second place in the table.

Surrey began the day with a lead of 202 and every run would be vital in building a lead. The overnight pairing of Matthew Nicholson and James Ormond continued in the same fashion as they ended day three. They played with caution and choose wisely when to play attacking strokes. The lower order players batted with the concentration that the top order lacked and waited patiently for the loose deliveries to score off. Both went past fifty as they took the Surrey score past 200. Nicholson was especially strong on the front foot and he had moved onto 73 when he was dismissed in slightly fortuitous circumstances. Nicholson had been tested by the short ball and finally fell to one from Sean Ervine as he top-edged a cut shot to third-man. Surrey were 215 for eight and Nicholson had put on 140 with Ormond. The latter continued and went to a career best score of 64 not out before Mark Butcher called time on the innings, setting Hampshire 281 to win of a minimum of 75 overs.

Pedro Collins made the perfect start in trying to bowl Hampshire out for the second time when he found Michael Carberry’s edge again and Jonathan Batty took the catch, 10 for one. Then James Adams and Michael Brown restored the Hampshire innings and put on 96 for the second wicket as Surrey were possibly trying too hard for wickets. It was Saqlain Mushtaq, who bowled from the fifteenth over, who threatened. The variable bounce of the pitch was more of a threat than turn and Saqlain was well rewarded when he removed the Hampshire middle order. The first was Adams, who went LBW for 31, trapped on his crease. Then Saqlain trapped Michael Lumb LBW to another ball that kept a little low. Hampshire were 118 for three and they were 142 for four when Saqlian had Chris Benham caught down the leg side by Batty whilst sweeping for 15. Butcher tried everything from the Northern end, whilst allowing Saqlain to bowl unchanged from the Pavilion End. All the while, Brown was edging his way close to a century, as Hampshire did not give up the chase.

Sean Ervine joined Brown and they put on 46 for the fifth wicket until Butcher decided on a change of ends for Saqlain. The off-spinner found some extra turn and trapped Brown LBW for a well-made 94. Dimitri Mascarhenas joined Ervine and the pair were threatening as they both played their natural games. The chase was being kept around 5 runs an over and Ervine went past fifty as Hampshire went past 200. A stroke of good fortune came for Surrey when Ormond, who was now bowling off-spin lobbed up a full-toss and Ervine only managed to hit straight to Scott Newman at extra cover, Hampshire were 226 for 6. Macarenhas hit one large six of Saqlain as he took on the mantel of the chase. However, Saqlain had his revenge two balls later as he flighted the ball a little more and Mascarenhas swept the ball high to Nicholson at deep square-leg, Saqlain’s fifth wicket of the innings.

The chase had got down to 36 runs needed off five overs when Ormond trapped Greg Lamb LBW when reverse sweeping to leave Hampshire eight down. Chris Tremlett was fit enough to bat the second time around and he and Tom Burrows frustrated Surrey as the pair batted out for the draw. Surrey taking 9 points from the game and moved second in the table.

After the match hero with the bat Matthew Nicholson spoke to Surrey TV, click here to watch the interview.

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