da 888casino： Surrey crowned their title triumph with a touch of farce at Old Traffordtoday
Colin Evans16-Sep-2000
Mark Butcher took 5 wickets
Photo © AllSport UK
Surrey crowned their title triumph with a touch of farce at Old Traffordtoday.With the third day lost to rain, little chance of a positive result andnothing at stake, captain Adam Hollioake opted for some pantomime entertainment for the championship finale, using nine bowlers – but notSaqlain Mushtaq or Ian Salisbury.Mark Butcher claimed his first-ever five wickets haul with his litttleseen off-spin while Ally Brown and Jonathan Batty – who had handed the glovesto Alex Tudor after tea – celebrated maiden first-class wickets.Hollioake himself produced a unique brand of leg-spin, welcomed warmly byNeil Fairbrother and Mike Smethurst who piled on 113 for the eighth wicket.The day had started seriously enough, Smethurst ripping out SaqlainMushtaq’s leg stump to end a last wicket stand of 116 with Martin Bicknellwho finished unbeaten on 79, his highest of the season.And, before Lancashire could wipe out the first innings deficit of 35,they lost both openers, Mark Chilton edging Bicknell behind the stumps andMike Atherton losing his off stump to Tudor.Surprisingly, after a third wicker recovery, Butcher then sent Lancashirestumbling to 161-7 and, at that stage, there still seemed time for Surrey togo all out for their 10th win. But Smethurst, with a previous top score of18, was allowed to score almost unchallenged, marching to his maiden 50 witha six and nine fours off 59 balls.Fairbrother, the 37 years-old veteran, cemented his place at the top ofthe Red Rose averages by playing every ball on its merits, and was 90 when hefell lbw to Brown.Smethurst departed for 66 in the next over, having added a second six, butLancashire’s acting captain Warren Hegg, who had not fielded because of afoot injury, came out as last man to steer Lancashire to 304-9 dec and badlight prevented further play.