Six wickets for Harbhajan Singh in the second innings lead Surrey to a crucial win in two days against Kent and move above them in the table.

The second day of the LV County Championship match at Canterbury saw 22 wickets fall and Surrey take a win to move one point above Kent in the first division table. The pitch continued to offer assistance to the spinners as both teams took wickets at a constant rate.

The day began poorly for Surrey as Mark Ramprakash was bowled by James Tredwell for 61, adding only four to his overnight score. The Kent off-spinner found turn from the Pavilion end and proceeded to take three more wickets as he finished with 6. Night watchman James Ormond played cautiously to hang around until he was unfortunate to be bowled from a short ball from Ross McLaren that looped up after hitting his shoulder and rolled back against the stumps. James Benning came to the crease and played positively to take Surrey past 200 and gain a crucial batting point. He drove confidently until a ball from Saggers nipped back to hit middle stump with 26 to his name. The Surrey innings closed as Tredwell removed Chris Jordan first ball when given out caught behind down the leg-side with the score on 215, a lead of 65.

The Surrey seamers again bowled tight when Kent batted for a second time, with both Ormond and Nicholson taking an early wicket each to leave Kent 32 for 2. Then it was the ‘Turbanator’ Harbhajan Singh who kept Surrey on top as he found turn and bounce from the Nackington Road end. Harbhajan removed the Kent skipper Robert Key for 18 as Jonathan Batty took a good catch down the leg-side, the first of six wickets for the Indian.

Chris Jordan continued his fine display from the first innings by taking the wickets of Stevens and Arafat, the latter a sharp catch by Ali Brown at 3rd slip, leaving Kent 89 for 6. James Tredwell then played some attacking shots as he took Kent past 100. The left-hander finishing on 50 from 82 balls. It was Harbhajan who continued to bowl with great control and proceeded to clean up the tail. The off-spinner was supported the whole time by outstanding fielding to maintain the pressure and was helped by a wonderful diving catch from Ormond in the gully to remove McLaren. After the tea interval Mark Butcher took another sharp catch off Harbhajan to see the end of Tredwell and the end of the Kent innings on 171.

Surrey required 107 runs to win and all the batsmen looked to play positively. Wickets fell at regular intervals as Surrey found themselves on 47 for three. However, Surrey chose to send in Harbhajan Singh at five to move the score along. The off-spinner took the attack to his counterpart Tredwell and hit 12 off one over. Meanwhile Ramprakash kept knocking the ball around for ones and twos, but he fell for 28 when Kent turned to the leg-spin of Joe Denly, 15 runs still needed to win. Surrey stumbled as two more wickets fell in quick succession. Harbhajan caught behind off Tredwell for 29, but he had provided the impetus that lead to James Benning hitting the winning runs.

Surrey took 18 points in the game and move above Kent in the table and more importantly out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Mark Butcher spoke to Surrey TV after the win, he commented on how Harbhajan is like having two bowlers in one and how Chris Jordan had an outstanding debut.

Watch the match highlights of this crucial win for Surrey on Surrey TV

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