Surrey leave the Riverside with a draw and seven points after their match against Durham ended in stalemate. Saqlain Mushtaq claimed six wickets and went past 800 first-class career dismissals in restricting Durham to 228 for 9 declared, as Surrey were set 270 to win. A dogged display by Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash saw the game safely to a close with the points shared.

Surrey began the day 117 runs behind Durham and got the start they would have wished for. Kyle Coetzer was bowled when he left a ball from James Ormond in the second over that nipped back and hit off-stump. Surrey continued to threaten in the morning and Pedro Collins was drawing false shots out of the Durham batsmen. He was finding the swing that he found on day one when he removed the top-order with three quick wickets. The left-armer was rewarded with the wicket of Neil McKenzie for 18, as he edged through to Jonathan Batty, leaving Durham 98 for four. Two balls later and Collins found the edge of Benkenstein’s bat, Batty took the catch, but Collins had over-stepped the line.

Phil Mustard joined Benkenstein and together they begun to eek out some runs to increase Durham’s lead. They found life difficult against Collins and Ormond who were keeping the pressure on. The pair batted out the remainder of the morning session, seemingly taking the game away from Surrey. Both batsmen had a life before lunch when first Mustard drove hard at Saqlain Mushtaq and Mark Butcher could not react quick enough at slip. The last over before lunch and Benkenstein had his second life when Ormond found the edge, only for the ball to rise high and fast to Batty’s right and the Surrey keeper couldn’t hold on. Durham 179 for four at lunch, a lead of 220.

After lunch the game moved along at a fast pace as Durham increased the intensity and urgency in order to post a total. Benkenstein reached his second half-century of the match and then Mustard quickly raced to fifty that included eight fours. The pair went on the offensive and were advancing down the wicket against both spin and seam. However, it was Saqlian who came into the match and proceeded to take the sting out of the Durham offensive. The off-spinner took five wickets in the space of four overs as Durham capitulated to 228 for nine. Their captain Benkenstein had seen enough and declared, setting a target of 270.

Saqlain varied his pace and flight and made hay against the advancing batsmen. Mustard was stumped by Batty for 53 after a huge swing and a miss. Benkenstein was out in Saqlian’s next over when he top edged a sweep to Usman Afzaal at mid-wicket. The next ball saw Paul Wiseman LBW to a faster delivery, 219 for seven. In Saqlain’s next over he claimed the wickets of Graham Onions and Mark Davies with superb flight. Both men were out stumped, as Saqlain claimed five wickets for three runs in just 14 balls. In doing so the masterful off-spinner went past 800 first-class career wickets, but also gave Surrey a fighting chance of a win.

Surrey got off to the worst possible start when Jonathan Batty was again unlucky to be given out LBW without scoring. The final inning of the match made for interesting viewing as Surrey were unsure about whether to go for the win or battle for the draw. Scott Newman was playing positively, but played one to many extravagant shots when he hooked Stephen Harmison straight down long-leg’s throat, Newman gone for 18, Surrey 27 for two. Usman Afzaal came to the crease and took on the challenge of Harmison. He succeeded at hooking the England paceman for six and followed up with two more fours on successive balls. However, with the very next ball Harmison bowled it full and straight and trapped Afzaal LBW for 16. Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher then saw Surrey safely to 52 for three at tea, as they tried to make the game safe. The Surrey pair were patient and watchful against the tight Durham bowling and worked hard to remain at the crease. At 4:44 pm the umpires took the players off for bad light. They were off for just 10 minutes, which helped in reducing the overs left by three, an added bonus for Surrey in trying to see out the day. Only six more overs were bowled by Durham after the resumption, which Butcher and Ramprakash saw out with ease, before the Captains agreed on a draw.

Watch the final day from the Riverside on Surrey TV.

Listen to Saqlain on Surrey TV after his six wickets against Durham.

Surrey now head to Hove for the next LV County Championship match against champions Sussex on Wednesday.

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